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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24596398">Rewriting History</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ldyjaydin/pseuds/ldyjaydin'>ldyjaydin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:15:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>47,910</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24596398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ldyjaydin/pseuds/ldyjaydin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Rey found a way to fix one mistake in the past? How different would the galaxy be when she arrives back in her own time? Would she find Ben Solo there or Kylo Ren? And would he know who she is? This story is finished and I will be posting daily until completed. Some chapters have mature adult content.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>85</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>128</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1 – Rey</p>
<p>The wall in front of Rey mocked her ruthlessly.</p>
<p>With a growl of frustration, she kicked it hard. A spike of pain flashed through her foot and up her leg. A tiny splattering of dust fell from the ceiling at her effort, but the ancient stone wall of the crumbling Jedi temple remained still. Rey sighed and knelt down in front of the book already opened on the floor by her feet. Carefully, she turned the fragile page of parchment, studying the fading writing and drawings. They suggested that simply inserting the key in the correct spot would open a doorway. But she had no key.</p>
<p>Rey plunked down on the mossy ground, swiping her arm across her forehead. Sweat soaked her clothes and tickled her neck as it dripped down from her hair. She'd grown accustomed to the dry, desert heat of Jakku but this heat combined with the overwhelming humidity made it difficult for her to breath. The jungle of this unnamed planet beyond the Outer Rim screamed with all forms of life. It almost seemed like the birds and animals surrounding her knew a trespasser lurked in their mist. </p>
<p>It had taken two years to get to this point. Two years since she and Ben had stood against the Emperor, against her grandfather. Two years alone.</p>
<p>She'd tried to go back to her friends in the Resistance. They'd all been so worried about her, but exuberant when she'd told them all of her triumph against the Emperor. Yet, their reaction to Ben's presence there had been almost hostile. Poe kept going on about Kylo Ren's ulterior motives, while Finn refused to even acknowledge Ben in any way. Only Rose had been willing to listen to her one night as they split a bottle of Corellian spring wine. She’d agreed that based on his actions, he'd turned back to the light. When Rose had said that Ben's sacrifice was a true act of love, Rey had cried pitifully into the other woman's shoulder.</p>
<p>After that, she'd slapped on a happy face and got to work on rebuilding the Republic. Sometimes she helped Finn and Jannah with the deprogramming of other Stormtroopers who'd been kidnapped as children. Other times she flew missions with Poe to weed out pockets of the First Order attempting to hide in bases on outlying planets. Mostly she just worked with Rose to rebuild damaged ships and droids, using her free time to continue her Jedi training and study the few old Jedi texts she'd found.</p>
<p>But inside she was dying. None of the work could fill the void of losing half her soul. Even eating didn't hold the appeal it had before. People would comment she looked thin and it reminded her she needed to eat. She constantly reached out to Ben, trying to get his Force ghost to manifest. She'd seen Luke and Leia as Force ghosts, but Ben never came to her. It was like the loss of his life force to her had truly ended him. It made her sick to think of it.</p>
<p>A little over a year ago, a reference in one of those texts spoke of a lost Jedi device that would allow someone to fix a mistake of the past. What if Luke's mistake of how he treated Ben could be fixed? She dropped everything in pursuit of such a device. Her friends didn't understand why she left, and she refused to tell them her reason. None of them could understand the depths of her emptiness.</p>
<p>With Chewie on Kashyyyk helping his people rebuild, he bequeathed the Millennium Falcon to her. With unrestricted access across the galaxy, Rey went on a rampage of all known past Jedi locations. She'd found books and artifacts that nobody had set eyes upon for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. Finally, after having to screw up the courage to swim through a flooded temple, she found the book that led her to this jungle planet.</p>
<p>The loud screech of an animal nearby pulled her out of her memories. She glared at the offending wall again. She'd already tried using her lightsaber as the key, and then slashing at the wall when that didn't work. Other than a few scorch marks, the wall remained intake. Then she'd fingered every inch of it, searching for some kind of secret opening mechanism. Nothing. In anger, she'd even tried ripping the wall down using the Force, but her power was deflected back at her, knocking her off her feet.</p>
<p>She studied the picture again and frowned. What were those broken lines at the foot of the crude drawing of a person holding the key? She'd just assumed they were just part of the background. Yet, with generous interpretation, perhaps it resembled a dismantled lightsaber. Her eyes widened.</p>
<p>She unclipped the lightsaber from her belt and pulled out the ubiquitous tool that she always carried in her pocket. She unscrewed the outer casing and carefully removed the kyber crystal. It glowed faintly yellow.</p>
<p>Moving toward the wall, she held the crystal as if it were a key. With a gasp, the crystal flew out of her hand and through the wall. The middle of the wall rippled then disappeared.<br/>Rey whooped with joy. She threw her bag on her back, grabbed the pieces of her lightsaber along with the book and strode through the opening. She took no chances that it could close unexpectedly.</p>
<p>The room on the other side of the wall smelled musty from disuse. At first, it was pitch black, but as she stepped farther in, gentle light pulsed on from an unknown spot in the ceiling. Before her stood a stood a simple, raised platform. Her kyber crystal lay upon it. She quickly reconstructed her lightsaber and clipped it back on her belt.</p>
<p>Opening the book once again, she consulted the next page.</p>
<p>To repair a mistake past<br/>Your mind you must cast<br/>To the specific place<br/>In time and space.<br/>When the task is done,<br/>Home you shall come.</p>
<p>The drawing showed a figure laying on the platform followed by another one with no figure on the platform.</p>
<p>Rey shoved the book into her bag and climbed up on the platform. She stretched out on the stone, clutching the bag to her chest. The hardness of it was mildly uncomfortable but she'd slept on worse.</p>
<p>She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, attempting to enter a meditative state. She cleared her mind and focused strictly on her destination. Luke Skywalker's training temple, right when Ben Solo would be arriving there. Minutes ticked by as she continued to focus, only the slightest tingle spreading over her skin. Growing alarm clenched her stomach.</p>
<p>"Please, please," she whispered.</p>
<p>The tingle intensified over her skin and she started to smile. The smile froze on her lips as the tingle mutated into a burning sensation. The burning intensified and it felt as though her skin was being flayed off her body. Every nerve ending blazed in pain as her body dismantled in this time and place to be hurled to another.</p>
<p>A moment later, the platform was empty. Only Rey's lingering screams echoing through the chamber remained.</p>
<p>A/N: Thanks so much for checking out this story! I really didn't want to write it, but it got stuck in my head and absolutely refused to leave. I tried writing that crappy little smut story to try to get Reylo out of my head, but it didn't work. With three young kids out of school from COVID and a busy full-time job as an essential workers, it took me over three months to finally finish it. But here it is and I am very happy with how it turned out! My goal is to try to post a chapter a day so stay tuned!<br/>PS- If any of my previous reader out there are wondering what happened to a very popular zombie western I wrote on here (or if that sounds like an interested story), I have answers for you. PM me.<br/>Reviews are so very appreciated.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2 – Rey</p><p>The sound of birds twittered over her head, rousing Rey from unconsciousness. A soundless scream pressed out of her as she squeezed her eyes shut. She rolled to her side, gagging and retching as her stomach knotted in pain. Tears streamed down her face until her body finally calmed and she shifted onto her back again. She wrapped her arms around her body protectively. The memory of the intense pain of traveling there only gradually faded from her mind.</p><p>She squinted her eyes open slightly. Her blurry vision revealed green trees surrounding her, and for one moment, panic gripped her at the thought that she still remained on the unnamed jungle planet. In the past, she'd have no ship there, no form of communication. She'd have been trapped.</p><p>A cooling breeze wafted over her, smelling like the ocean. It reminded her of Ahch-To, which calmed her since there was no ocean anywhere near the temple she'd just come from.<br/>She groaned when she finally sat up. Her lightsaber remained clipped to her belt but the bag with the book in it was nowhere to be seen. She slowly got up on her feet, but her head was so dizzy and her legs so wobbly she had to cling to a tree until her muscles were ready to start working again.</p><p>"Are you alright?"</p><p>Rey startled and turned to see a boy with bright blue hair behind her. He looked young and dressed in brown robes. "I think so."</p><p>He frowned. "I was out for a walk and I think I felt a disturbance in the Force. How did you get here? There isn't a village anywhere near here and no ships have come in."</p><p>Rey ignored his question. "This is where Master Skywalker's training temple is, right?" She felt steadier so pushed away from the tree and walked over to him.</p><p>The boy's gaze touched on the lightsaber at her side and his eyes almost doubled in size. "Y-Yes," he stammered, never looking away from the lightsaber.</p><p>"I must speak with Master Skywalker on a very urgent matter."</p><p>His bright blue eyes, matching his hair, touched hers for the first time and he nodded. "This way."</p><p>She followed him out of the woods. As she looked across a large field, she gasped at the structure beyond. It amazed her to see a Jedi Temple new and humming with life, rather than all the dead ones in ruins she'd been searching through. A great domed building made of dark stone loomed in the middle of the complex. There were little huts off to one side serving as rooms for the Padawans. A garden bloomed beautifully behind those. People, many of them children, dressed in the same robes seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere.</p><p>"Are you really a Jedi?" the boy leading her asked. "I thought they were all killed during the Clone Wars and Master Skywalker was the last one."</p><p>Rey sighed. "What's your name?"</p><p>He smiled shyly. "Alkos."</p><p>"Nice to meet you, Alkos. I'm Rey. And the answer to your question is that it's a long story." She noticed people looking at them now that they got closer. Her eyes widened as she watched Luke Skywalker walking towards them.</p><p>Obviously, he was much younger than when she trained with him on Ahch-To. His hair was brown and his beard short, far fewer lines on his face and his shoulders weren't yet slumped with the weight of his failures. He said something to those following him that Rey didn't catch, but they all stopped in their tracks and only he approached them. She saw him sizing her up, his eyes lingering on her lightsaber before turning to Alkos.</p><p>"Alkos, will you please inform the others to prepare for sparring while I attend to our visitor. I'd like you to lead the class if I'm not there in time."</p><p>A huge smile spread across the boy's face. Rey noticed even his teeth were tipped in matching blue. "Really?" Then, realizing he'd forgotten himself, his face grew serious. "As you wish, Master Skywalker." He jogged back to the waiting Padawans, who scattered after that.</p><p>Luke turned back to her. "How may we be of service to you?"</p><p>Suddenly self-conscious, Rey bowed deeply. "Master Skywalker, I've traveled a very long distance to discuss an urgent matter with you."</p><p>His brows drew together. "Most of the civilization on this planet doesn't use spaceflight, so we can detect the few ships that arrive. None have. Did you walk here?"</p><p>"Not exactly."</p><p>He nodded to her lightsaber. "Buy that on the black market? My brother-in-law is a smuggler and he's seen a few for sale."</p><p>"I crafted it myself."</p><p>Luke's eyebrows rose.</p><p>Rey held up a hand before he could say anything more. "I promise to answer all your questions. I intend to tell you everything. Is there somewhere private we can talk?"</p><p>Luke nodded and led her inside the temple. Rey couldn't seem to look at everything fast enough before he ushered her into his private office. He gestured to a couple of straight chairs in front of a large window looking out over the ocean. Rey sat down on the edge, filled with nervous energy.</p><p>"First, tell me your name," Luke asked. His voice was softer than outside, and it helped to take the edge off her nervousness.</p><p>"Rey."</p><p>"It's good to meet you, Rey. Are you a Jedi?" Again, his voice was more curious than the almost accusatory tone outside.</p><p>"People think I am. Sometimes I even think I am. But I never actually finished my training."</p><p>"Yet, you heard the call of a kyber crystal and were able to craft your own lightsaber."</p><p>"Yes." She pulled the lightsaber off her belt.</p><p>"That alone suggests you are a Jedi. Would you be willing to ignite it?"</p><p>"In here?" She glanced around, knowing there wasn't much room to swing it without hitting anything.</p><p>He held up a finger. "Just for one moment."</p><p>Rey stood up and took a step back. She pressed her lips into a thin line and ignited it. The yellow blade blazed free. Then she immediately shut it down.</p><p>"Yellow!" He stood up, a look of fascination on his face. "I've only ever heard of that color, never seen one myself. The color of Jedi sentinels." He tilted his head in question. "Who trained you?"</p><p>She met his eyes. "You did."</p><p>He frowned. "No."</p><p>"You did," she stated with more emphasis. "You started it, and Leia continued it. But I never really finished."</p><p>"My sister trained you?" He sounded incredulous. "She never finished her own training."</p><p>"Because she had a premonition that if she did finish, her son would die. Turns out, he dies anyway." She closed her eyes, unable to suppress the stab of pain.</p><p>"None of this is true!" he roared, offended. "I never trained you and Ben is not dead. He's only nine years old and he's arriving here tomorrow."</p><p>Filing that information away for later, she stepped closer to him. "Ben's not dead yet! That's why I'm here. To save Ben Solo's life!"</p><p>"Who are you?"</p><p>"I've come from twenty years in the future to fix a grave mistake." It felt good to get the truth out.</p><p>He stared at her. "That's impossible," he muttered.</p><p>Rey let out a long breath. "I would have said the same thing a few months ago. I know the coordinates of the planet with the device. We could go there." She paused. "Or what if I can tell you something about yourself that nobody else knows? Will you consider that what I say is true?"</p><p>He licked his lips as he studied her. Then he nodded.</p><p>Rey swallowed. She was going to show him her best cards. If he didn't believe her, if he turned his back on her, her mission was in jeopardy of failing. That couldn't happen. But this was her only choice.</p><p>"Luke, you are the son of Anakin Skywalker, who is better known as Darth Vader." He sucked in a breath, but she kept talking. "It was you who turned him away from the dark and back to the light. It was for you that he killed Emperor Palpatine, Darth Sidious." Then she whispered, "At least you thought he killed Darth Sidious."</p><p>His head whipped back as if she'd slapped him. He sat down heavily, contemplating as his fingers absentmindedly stroked his beard. After a few minutes, he looked back at her. It seemed as if he'd resolved any conflict in his mind.</p><p>"Tell me everything."</p><p>She nodded, sitting back down. Everything came spilling out, starting from when BB8 found her on Jakku up to finding the traveling device on the jungle planet. Everything except for her accursed lineage.</p><p>He remained silent as she spoke. There were some physical reactions. A shift in position, a few gasps, even a tear escaping his eye and running down his cheek as she told him of his attempt to murder his own nephew. But no questioning or comments.</p><p>When she finished, they both sat lost in thought for several minutes.</p><p>Finally, he broke the silence. "You and Ben are a Force Dyad. There hasn't been one documented in over four hundred years."</p><p>"I didn't believe him when he first told me. We were still enemies at the time. But he was right. When he died, I lost half of my soul."</p><p>"I'm sorry, Rey. What do we need to do to fix this? It can't turn out like that. Not for him. Not for me either." Luke rubbed at suddenly tired eyes.</p><p>"I've been thinking about it ever since I found that book. You must not keep secrets from him. I'm not saying lay everything out to a nine-year-old, but tell him the family secrets as he gets older. Either you or Leia must tell him about Vader. Snoke used his ignorance of that knowledge against you." She huffed. "By the time I met him, he was hero worshipping Darth Vader, striving to be as strong with the dark side as his grandfather had been!"</p><p>Luke stared at her with wide eyes. Then he asked, "What do I tell him about you?"</p><p>The question caught her off-guard. "I... I don't know. Let me think about it. But there is another thing. He must stay close with his family."</p><p>"That's not Jedi protocol."</p><p>She shook her head. "I don't care. Change the protocol. Ben felt abandoned by his parents and betrayed by you. He was alone and only had Snoke to turn to. It was Leia's greatest regret, not being there for her son when he needed her. She died never getting to see him come back to the light."</p><p>"Oh, my poor sister," he breathed out. "Weekly comms. He could talk to one or both of them every week."</p><p>"Good start. But he needs to spend time with them all together as a family. Like at a holiday or vacation."</p><p>"Yes! Two weeks during the stormy season here would correspond nicely with summer at Leia's lake house on Naboo. I can insist that both of them must be there for him. Han will grumble and Leia will try to make excuses but I can be very convincing." Luke smiled at her.</p><p>Rey smiled back. "Perfect."<br/>A/N: I definitely disliked seeing Luke as the bitter old man crushed by his own failures in the movies. There's also a lot of fanfic with him as the bad guy. I enjoyed having him help Rey to save Ben's future here.<br/>Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3 – Ben</p><p>Ben groaned as the Millennium Falcon touch down on the planet. He sat alone in the living space, strapped in to protect him from bouncing around during spaceflight. He didn't unbuckle himself, just fiddled with the little X-wing toy he held.</p><p>Han strolled out of the cockpit and ran his fingers through his hair. "Are you ready?"</p><p>Ben wanted to cry. "Dad, please don't leave me here."</p><p>Han's brows bunched together as his eyes became sympathetic. He knelt down in front of his son. "Ben, this is a new chapter in your life. You've been gifted with these powers. You know I don't know anything about having powers or the Force or any of that other crazy stuff. Here you'll learn all about it. Uncle Luke will teach you." Han unbuckled Ben's strap and helped him climb out of the seat. "Besides, you're gonna end up with one of those awesome lightsabers." He ruffled Ben's hair.</p><p>Ben hated when his dad did that and ducked away. "It's been a really long time since I've seen Uncle Luke. What if he doesn't remember me?"</p><p>Han chuckled. "He remembers you."  Then he stuck his head through the back doorway. "Hurry up, Leia!" He shook his head and turned back to Ben. "I think your mother is having an even harder time with this than you are."</p><p>Ben doubted that.</p><p>Leia struggled through the doorway, weighed down by several bags.</p><p>Han rolled his eyes. "Sweetie, he doesn't need all that stuff. Luke said they're going to give him everything he needs." He grabbed a stuffed wookie hanging out of one of the bags. "He definitely doesn't need this. The other kids will make fun of him."</p><p>Leia grabbed it back. "Chewbacca gave that to him on the day he was born. It belongs with him."</p><p>Han turned to Ben, exasperated. "Do you want the wookie doll?"</p><p>Ben pressed his lips together. He kind of did want the wookie doll. It had always been a comfort to him when he'd awaken from nightmares in the middle of the night. But he also didn't want other kids making fun of him. He decided it was safer not to answer.</p><p>His mom dropped the bags in a pile. "Fine. I'm sure my brother has some kind of list of what he'll need." Then she pulled Ben into her arms. "You're going to be the best Jedi ever. Even better than Uncle Luke."</p><p>Ben smiled. Despite all her absences helping to run the New Republic, he still loved her desperately, still sought her approval.</p><p>"Come on, you two. Luke's waiting for us." His dad's voice almost sounded reluctant.</p><p>Leia let go of Ben, wiping tears off her cheeks. Ben grabbed her hand as they walked down the ramp.</p><p>The ship had set down in the field in front of the temple. Ben's eyes widened as he got his first view of it. So magnificent!  Excitement flared up inside him. Maybe this really wouldn't be so bad.</p><p>Luke walked through the field to the Falcon, a big smile on his face.</p><p>Ben smiled shyly at his uncle. Then he noticed a young woman with dark hair tied up following behind him. Ben couldn't stop looking at her. Not only was she beautiful, but there was something drawing him to her. Something he couldn't understand.</p><p>Their eyes locked, hers hazel and his brown. Ben's heart sped up, pounding in his chest. He froze, rooted in place by her gaze. A rushing noise filled his ears, blocking out his father's muttering about how much his mother packed.</p><p>Don't be afraid; I feel it too.</p><p>The words spoken into his mind were in the deep voice of an adult man. For a moment, he thought it might be that voice. But no, it seemed more like an echo, and he thought it came from the mysterious woman following his uncle.</p><p>"Leia!"</p><p>The spell broke as Luke embraced his mom. Sound returned as the woman's eyes shifted to Leia. His mom momentarily released his hand to hug her brother, but gripped him again as soon as Luke let go.</p><p>"Welcome, Ben," Luke smiled down at him. "I'm so happy to have you here as a Padawan."</p><p>Ben just looked up at him in awe.</p><p>Han cleared his throat.</p><p>"Han," Luke said as he shook Ben's father's hand.</p><p>"You've got quite the fancy set-up here, Master Skywalker," Han said as he eyed the temple.</p><p>Leia elbowed Han in the gut.</p><p>"What?! That's what they call him here!"</p><p>"You know what." Leia then looked behind her brother. "And who is this lovely young woman with you?"</p><p>Luke stepped aside, letting her step forward. "This is Rey. She's a visitor here temporarily helping me to right a wrong."</p><p>Disappointment stabbed Ben in the gut hearing she would only be there temporarily.</p><p>Rey smiled brightly, enthusiastically shaking Han and Leia's hands. "I'm just so happy to meet you!"</p><p>Ben could feel the excitement rolling off her. He wondered if she was star-struck because of what his parents had done during the war against the Empire. It wouldn't be the first time he'd seen some fan fawn all over them. Yet, there was something just a little bit different about this meeting.</p><p>Then Rey knelt down in front of Ben. He clung to his mother's arm. He didn't understand what had transpired between them. He didn't even know if she'd experienced it with him, but it felt...intimate. A blush brightened his cheeks.</p><p>"Hello, Ben."</p><p>"Hi," he said in a small voice.</p><p>"I've heard a lot about you."</p><p>He frowned. "About me?"</p><p>She smiled, eliciting butterflies to take flight in his stomach. "Yes. Master Skywalker told me you are just beginning your journey to become a Jedi. I'm only here for a short time, but I'm excited to see how things work here. Would you be okay if we spent some time together as you settle in?"</p><p>He nodded, smiling back at her. "Yes!" He very much looked forward to spending time with Rey.</p><p>After Luke gave them a tour of the temple and had Leia severely pare down Ben's belongings, they ended up at the little hut that would be Ben's. He knew the time to say goodbye to his parents drew near and his anxiety grew.</p><p>The hut was small, containing a bed, desk, chest of drawers and a meditation mat. A door to a tiny refresher in the back completed the accommodations.</p><p>Leia walked around the room, examining it critically. "It's so empty," she complained.</p><p>"It's better for him not to have too many distractions. Besides, he's going to fill it with his accomplishments as a Padawan," Luke assured her.</p><p>Ben sat down on the bed. It didn't feel so bad. It felt even better when Rey sat down next to him.</p><p>"Well, I'm not letting him leave me without this." She pulled the stuffed wookie out of the bag by the door and placed it on his pillow. Then, with tears in her eyes, she pulled Ben back in her arms.</p><p>Ben folded himself into her embrace and buried his face in her shoulder. "What if I never see you again?"</p><p>Leia pulled him back, put her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eye. "That's not going to going to happen."</p><p>Tears leaked out of Ben's eyes as he frantically shook his head. "I heard Padawans never get to see their families again." His eyes flicked to Rey. She had her hand over her mouth, unshed tears in her eyes.</p><p>Luke knelt down, his hand covering Leia's on top of Ben's shoulder. "Actually, Rey and I were just talking of changing that. We're now going to let every Padawan with family comm them weekly. And, since we can't get much done during the stormy season, two weeks of family leave."</p><p>"Really?" Ben whispered.</p><p>"Really," Luke confirmed.</p><p>"We'll go to the lake house!" Leia exclaimed.</p><p>Ben's spirits soared. He loved the lake house. Swimming all day, reading in the library, holovids at night. Too far away from any big cities to have to go to any boring grown-up parties. </p><p>Ben looked up at Han. "Will you be there, Dad?"</p><p>"He better be," Leia grumbled.</p><p>Han raised up his hands in a placating manner. "You had me at lake house. We've had some good times there. Right, darlin'?" He threw his wife a suggestive smile.</p><p>"Shut up, Han," Leia threw back, but she had a coy smile on her own face.</p><p>Ben smiled. His anxiety disappeared. He really looked forward to becoming a Jedi.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Four - Luke</p><p>Luke paused before rounding the corner when he heard voices on the other side. Two voices he was particularly glad to hear talking. It had only been four days since nine-year-old Ben had arrived, but it was obvious the kid was smitten with Rey. And Rey had said her soul sang the moment Ben had walked out of the Falcon.</p><p>He angled himself to be able to watch them, but they'd be unlikely to see him without looking directly at him. Luckily, their focus was on each other.</p><p>"Ben, can I see your toy?" Rey asked.</p><p>Ben handed something to her. "It's an X-wing. Just like the one my uncle-, I mean Master Skywalker, used to fly."</p><p>Luke swallowed. It pained him to have to tell his nephew not to call him uncle, but it was necessary for him to fit in with the other Padawans.</p><p>Ben's voice exploded with excitement. Luke could barely hold in a chuckle at his words.<br/>"Did you know he blew up the Death Star flying an X-wing?"</p><p>Rey laughed. "Yeah, I think everyone's heard that story." She handed him back the toy. Her face grew serious. "Ben, I've got to ask you something important."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Rey took a deep breath. "Has there ever been anyone who's tried to tell you that that you are alone? That your parents don't love you? Or that you should be angry about things that you hadn't really been angry about before?"</p><p>Ben froze, his body trembling as he stared at her. "How do you know about the voices in my head?"</p><p>Luke's hand grabbed the wall, stunned. That was how they were manipulating him! The darkness that even now he sensed around young Ben wasn't coming from him. It was targeting him.</p><p>Rey's fingers gently traced down the side of his face. "I've heard that voice too." She took his hand. "His name is Snoke. He's a Sith Lord, trying to isolate you to turn you to the dark side."</p><p>"But the dark side is...evil."</p><p>"In many ways, yes."</p><p>"I don't want to be evil!" Ben cried. "But I'm afraid of the voice. Sometimes it makes my head hurt when I don't do what it wants."</p><p>"Fight it, Ben! Don't ever stop fighting it! Don't let it take you!" Rey pulled Ben into a fierce hug and he hugged her back. "You are so strong."</p><p>As Luke watched, he saw Rey's body jerk. He sighed, realizing she must have truly fixed the mistake she'd come so far to correct. He wished she could stay. He enjoyed having another Jedi to talk with, and even though she mainly focused on Ben, she'd also been helping a lot with the other Padawans' lessons. They all liked her.</p><p>Rey pulled away from Ben. "I'm so sorry, but I have to leave now."</p><p>Ben's eyes widened, tears forming. "No! Please don't leave, Rey!" His voice was anguish.</p><p>Rey cried now, her own tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to leave. It's not my choice. But I know you'll be safe here. Master Skywalker will protect you from the voice. You'll comm your parents tonight. And you have friends! Alkos said you’re the best sparring partner he's ever had. And didn't he invite you to join them for swimming after meditation later?"</p><p>"Yes," Ben said, although his voice cracked.</p><p>Rey started to get up, but Ben grabbed her arm.</p><p>"I love you, Rey."</p><p> Luke’s heart broke for the boy.</p><p>She choked at his words. Her fingers wove through his hair, gently holding his head. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I love you too, Ben." Then she untangled herself from him and ran. Luke saw her swiping tears off her cheeks.</p><p>He turned back to his private office, knowing that's where she would head. She panted as she raced to him. He threw open the door and ushered inside.</p><p>"It's starting. I haven't much time! You were watching, right?" She paced frantically across the room.</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>"The Emperor through Snoke is talking directly inside his head. You've got to teach him how to block it."</p><p>"I will." He followed her pacing movements. " Rey, is there any way you could stay? I'll finish your training and you can help me protect Ben."</p><p>A look of intense longing filled her face. "I wish with all my being I could. You were rather reluctant to train me the first time."</p><p>Luke was dismayed by how bitter of an old man he'd become in her future.</p><p>Rey continued. "But the device won't allow it. It said, 'To fix a mistake past, your mind you must cast to a specific place in time and space. When your task is done, home you shall come.'"</p><p>"What do I tell him about you, Rey?"</p><p>She stopped pacing, her arms wrapping around her body. "It's one secret you'll have to keep. If you tell him I came back in time for him, he'll want to know why. It's not fair for him to deal with the consequences of a life filled with cruelty and violence he'll hopefully never have to live."</p><p>Luke understood. He nodded.</p><p>Rey doubled over, clutching at her middle. She moaned loudly.</p><p>"Tell me how to help you, Rey." He laid a hand on her arm. Her body trembled under his touch.</p><p>She looked up at him, her voice high-pitched with fear. "I don't know! I'm so scared! Coming here was the worst pain I'd ever felt. Like being ripped apart." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Worse than when the Emperor drained the life force out of Ben and I. Worse than death."</p><p>She cried out, dropping to her knees. "I feel it!" she screamed.</p><p>Luke couldn't bear to see her in such pain. He gripped her shoulders, forcing her to look at him again. His hands moved to cradle her head.</p><p>"Sleep, Rey. Sleep."</p><p>The suggestion penetrated into her brain and she collapsed on the floor in front of him. Her body still trembled despite her unconsciousness. He almost touched her, but it was a good thing he didn't.</p><p>As if an invisible force had entered his chambers, Rey's clothes were ripped off her body, disappearing into nowhere.</p><p>Luke stepped back, alarmed. While the analytical side of his mind tried to reason out this development, the primal side acknowledged her nakedness. Even though he'd taken a vow of celibacy, he couldn't help but admire her beauty.</p><p>He squinted at her skin, noticing the tanned hue changing to pink. As the pink enveloped her, it changed to red. It looked like she was getting sunburned inside the room!</p><p>Just as suddenly as had happened with her clothes, her skin ripped off her body and disappeared into nowhere.</p><p>Luke stumbled backwards, falling into the chair. In horror, he saw all of Rey's muscles that belonged under her skin. Some of them clenched and unclenched as she continued to tremble. Light shone on the exposed nerves.</p><p>A moment later, the muscles ripped away. Her skeleton lay at his feet, seeming to be grinning ghastly. Her organs stayed in place, defying gravity. Luke watched with grisly fascination as her heart beat and her lungs breathed in her chest. Blood flowed through her vessels with each heart beat.</p><p>Then she was gone.</p><p>Luke sat back in the chair, shocked at what he'd just watched. His heart broke for Rey that she'd had to experience such horror the first time, awake and alone.</p><p>"May the Force be with you, Rey," he said to the empty room.</p><p>Then he got up and went to the computer screen in the corner. He brought up the scheduler and set a reminder for twenty years from now. He made a note that said Rey, Jakku.<br/>A/N: This is the only chapter in the story from a POV not Rey or Ben's. I needed someone to see how high of a cost it was to travel through time.<br/>Thanks so much for reading and I love the reviews!</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Five - Rey</p><p>Before she even opened her eyes, Rey sensed she was back on Jakku. The dry air stealing any moisture from her breath and the sound of sand particles hitting the wall of her shelter as they danced in the hot wind gave it away. She'd suspected that she'd most likely end up here, but she'd hoped a better fate would have arisen for her. Perhaps even one involving a certain person. No matter, she had a plan.</p><p>She stretched out on her makeshift bed, feeling her bones and muscles fully align. She opened her eyes and smiled. It was perhaps the best sleep she'd ever had. There was no memory of the awful pain of time travel or the lingering dizziness that had accompanied it like last time. </p><p>Thank you, Luke.</p><p>Reaching down, she felt along her side, searching for her lightsaber. She rolled over, but still couldn't find it. Grumbling under her breath, she realized she likely never had one in this reality. She'd have to make it all over again.</p><p>Climbing to her feet, she woofed down one of the ration bars in her secret stash and shoved the rest in her satchel. She added the couple other pieces of clothes she owned and her water bottle. Crawling over to a wall panel, she used the force to pull it out of the wall. She smiled in satisfaction since she used to break a few fingernails anytime she'd pried it open before. She pulled out two credits, all the money she possessed, and placed them in the satchel too. With the satchel flung over her shoulder and her staff in hand, she set out for the nearby Niima Outpost. Judging by the sun's position, it was fairly early morning.</p><p>Once there, Rey ducked past Plutt's place. While it was unlikely he'd be awake this early, she didn't want to run into him. She had no intention of scavenging, and she didn't feel like submitting to his threats. Despite the immense pleasure it would bring her to knock him down a notch, she needed to play the role of her old, submissive self a little longer.</p><p>She weaved around the tents of the market, people setting up their wares for sale. Then slipped around to the area most people called the ship graveyard, and...</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Rey's shoulders slumped. No Millennium Falcon. Either Han had already found it, or more likely, it had never been on Jakku to begin with. She surveyed the other ships and none of them was even remotely space-worthy for her to steal. Now how was she going to get off this sandpit of a planet?</p><p>The tip of her tongue stuck out the side of her mouth as she pondered her predicament. She'd have to sacrifice one of her credits and take the shuttle to Remiton, the largest city on this side of the planet. Possibly the only city on the planet as far as she knew. It had a small port for ships. Maybe she could get hired on as an engineer in exchange for a lift to Luke's temple, if it still stood. She certainly didn't have enough credits to book passage as a traveler.</p><p>She trudged across the market to the shuttle landing. The rusty, old bucket of bolts ran every three days and, luckily, today was one of them. It mainly catered to merchants bringing goods from the port back to the Niima Outpost, but anyone could ride it to Remiton as long as they paid the fee. Rey had once stowed away underneath it, small enough to fit inside the engine casing at eleven years old. She'd been convinced her parents must have gone to Remiton. Alas, she never found them and Plutt's thugs had eventually hauled her back.</p><p>The line waiting at the shuttle made her stop short. Usually only two or three people made the three-hour trip, but today she counted fourteen people. An astronomical number! What had changed?</p><p>She got in line just as the pilot began collecting fare and ushering passengers on board. Rey hoped they'd all fit, especially since she stood at the back of the line.</p><p>The pilot held out his hand. "Two credits."</p><p>"Two!" she exclaimed.</p><p>"Special circumstances."</p><p>"What special circumstances? Why are there so many people on this shuttle?"</p><p>He shrugged, obviously not knowing nor caring about the answer.</p><p>A thought occurred to her. “Does this have anything to do with the First Order?”</p><p>The pilot frowned. “Never heard of the First Order and the Republic doesn’t have any say in what I charge.” He held out his hand more insistently.</p><p>Rey couldn’t help but grin. No First Order! The Republic still stood! She’d at least accomplished that much with her traveling. She handed all the credits she had over to him. The lack of money frustrated her a bit, but it didn’t compare to her elation at this new revelation. </p><p>She climbed into the shuttle and squeezed into the last seat in the last aisle. The shuttle began moving, slow at first but then with more speed. With so many people breathing in the small space, the air went stale relatively quickly. Not only that, she could tell the braking system was rusted out by the intermittent squealing that rang through the cabin. It was going to be a long three hours. She closed her eyes, attempting to meditate. Unfortunately, her mind kept wandering to Ben. She wondered if he became a real Jedi. Or maybe he decided to become a fighter pilot. He did carry that X-wing around almost everywhere he went when he was a child. She hoped he wouldn't be too hard to find. While she doubted he would remember her from twenty years ago, she hoped their bond would make it easier for him to let her into his life.</p><p>A conversation between the two women in front of her penetrated into her thoughts. She couldn't help listening in.</p><p>"I've always gotten feelings about things before they happen. Like that last big sandstorm. I had my family inside before the winds even picked up. I bet they'll figure out that I'm Force-sensitive."</p><p>Rey sat up, looking at the back of the woman's head. A fraying cloth held back her dark hair. Rey didn’t recognize her, but the talk about possibly being Force-sensitivity had her full attention.</p><p>The blond woman next to her spoke up. "I don't know anything about that, but I heard the Jedi they sent to look for those Force people is also a prince. A Jedi Prince! Surely, he's rich and handsome too."</p><p>It took a beat for her to process the words. Then Rey burst out laughing. She couldn't help it! Could it really be that easy? Could Ben be on Jakku searching for Force-sensitive individuals? Coincidence or Luke's doing?</p><p>The two women snapped their attention to Rey, peering over the backs of their seats with annoyed looks on their faces.</p><p>"What are you laughing at, Rey?" the blond woman demanded.</p><p>Rey recognized her. Adalinah. Rey narrowed her eyes. Adalinah had been a thorn in her side since she'd ended up on Jakku. Even though Adalinah's mother had been kind enough to include Rey in her lessons of reading and writing with the other children at the outpost, Adalinah had treated Rey with distain behind her mother's back. As the daughter of one of the merchants, Adalinah hadn't felt an orphaned slave girl like Rey deserved to be included. The spoiled brat had taunted Rey cruelly, right up until Rey punched her in the face. She hadn't given Adalinah a single thought since BB8 ended up on Jakku.</p><p>"If there is such a thing as a Jedi Prince, he's much more interested in finding Force-sensitive people than dating. You know Jedi take a vow of celibacy." Rey continued giggling at the picture in her head of the annoyed look on Ben's face at Adalinah attempts to come on to him. She remembered when she'd been the object of those annoyed looks.</p><p>Adalinah snorted. "You're just jealous because a Jedi Prince would never look at a scavenger slave girl like you."</p><p>"We'll see," Rey threw back.</p><p>They rode the rest of the way in silence. Once they arrived, the shuttle dropped them off at the edge of town. When Rey had traveled to Remiton at eleven years old, the place had seemed so big and grand with so many businesses. Now that she'd had the opportunity to travel the galaxy, it just seemed sad. The buildings looked shabby and unkempt, the roads just packed sandy dirt. A few people broke off from the group but most of them headed toward the shipping port on the other side of town. Rey followed along.</p><p>A crowd gathered in front of a large ship docked at the port. They laughed and cheered at some kind of show before them. She stood on her tippy toes trying to see over all the heads but to no avail.</p><p>"What's going on?" Adalinah asked a man nearby.</p><p>"Two Jedis are doing a lightsaber demonstration before they start checking people for Force sensitivity."</p><p>Rey gasped. Ben might be up there! She ducked down and wiggled her way through the press of bodies. Some grumbled at her, but she just kept saying sorry and pushing forward. One guy pinched her ass. She force-stomped his foot without turning back. He blamed the guy next to him. Finally, about halfway to the front, she stood up to survey the view.</p><p>There he was! Ben!</p><p>He looked so good, a Jedi in his prime sparring with his partner. He wore traditional Jedi clothes, a tan tunic over a white shirt and brown pants. She noticed his dark brown robe thrown over the handrail leading into the ship. His long, dark hair flowed around his face, a face unmarred by the scar she’d given him before. Yet, what made her heart soar was the wide smile on his face. She’d only ever seen that smile a moment after their kiss and a moment before his death. The cost of that smile had been so high. This smile he gave freely.</p><p>Ben’s lightsaber shown purple as he swung hard against his partner’s blue blade, it’s whirling sound music to her ears. Purple! So, he’d tasted the dark side and come back to the light. Snoke, and by extension the Emperor, had tried to take him. He’d been tempted, but ultimately, he’d turned away from them this time.</p><p>Rey bit her lip as realization almost overwhelmed her. She’d done it! All the years of searching, of loneliness, of pain, they’d been worth it. She’d been able to fix all the mistakes and given Ben the life he deserved.</p><p>He parried a thrust from the blue blade then leapt back, laughing. He was having such fun! He twirled, whipping his blade over the head of his partner in a fantastic display of choreography. They clashed blades again then pushed back against each other. The other Jedi blocked her view of Ben for a moment.</p><p>Was that…Alkos? Yes! The bright blue hair that matched his blue lightsaber gave it away. He stood shorter than Ben now, and stockier, but definitely the same person who’d found her in the woods after her harrowing journey. Had that really only been five days ago? Seeing them both like this now hit home the enormity of just how far she had traveled.</p><p>Suddenly, Ben’s body tensed. The smile dropped off his face, a serious expression Rey recognized replacing it. He looked at the gathered crowd, scanning faces until they landed on her.</p><p>Her breath whooshed from her body as their eyes locked. The same spell that had enchanted her when she first saw him at nine years old gripped her again. Like a flood of water breaking through a brick wall, a mix of emotions washed over her.</p><p>Excitement, confusion, joy, fear and desire.</p><p>Rey realized they weren’t her emotions. They were Ben’s. It only lasted a moment as he had to look away to stop Alkos from impaling him with his lightsaber. The pretense of fun fell as Ben engaged Alkos seriously. There was the sharp fighting style she knew from him. She’d fought him that way several times. The blue-haired Jedi seemed disorientated for a second. Ben worked quickly and had the lightsaber flying out of Alkos’ hands in just a few moves.</p><p>Ben sheathed his blade and clipped it to his belt. He quickly bowed to Alkos, who bowed back. Then he turned to the crowd and marched through it like nothing could stand in his way. The mass of people fell back, opening a passage for him. He strode forward with confidence and Rey’s eyes widened as he headed right for her.</p><p>He stopped in front of her, his eyes boring into her. “Come with me.”</p><p>Rey wasn’t sure if it was a demand or a request, but it didn’t matter. She’d follow him into the fires on Mustafar if he asked.</p><p>He closed his hand around hers. As their skin touched, tendrils of fire coursed up her arm and through her body. She saw his pupils dilate and she knew he’d felt it too.</p><p>Pulling her towards the ship, she could hear people murmuring as they moved through the crowd. Most of them speculated about whether she’s Force-sensitive or not. However, she did hear one feminine voice in the back curse, “That kriffing witch!” Rey inwardly smiled at Adalinah’s outrage.</p><p>Once inside the ship, Ben guided her into a large training room. He let go of her hand and whirled around to stare at her. “How have you not aged?” He studied her again, the intensity of him so familiar. “Not aged at all in twenty years,” he pondered.</p><p>Rey was taken aback. She hadn’t anticipated that he’d recognize her. She’d only known him four days when he was a child, so she didn’t expect him to remember exactly what she looked like. She didn’t know what the right answer was, not wanting to shock him with the whole truth yet. Instead, she stayed quiet.</p><p>Ben frowned, noting her clothing. He shook his head. “No, it can’t be you. And yet…” He paused, a single finger gently touching her hand. That same fire burned again. His brows drew together. “Your mother maybe? Perhaps she is who I met all those years ago?”</p><p>Rey wouldn’t lie to him. He’d probably know it if she did. She told him the truth instead. “My mother abandoned me here when I was five years old. I have no knowledge of her whereabouts twenty years ago.”</p><p>His eyes widened. “I’m sorry. It’s just you look like someone who I used to know. Someone who was very important to me. Her name was Rey.”</p><p>She closed her eyes for a moment before looking back up at home. Apparently, she’d made a much bigger impact than she realized on that nine-year-old boy. “That’s my name,” she whispered.</p><p>He swallowed. “I don’t why you have the same name and look like the woman I used to know, but I’m sorry if I scared you. My name is Ben Solo.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Six – Ben</p><p>Ben knew he should have been concentrating on the Force evaluations, but he was so distracted by Rey's presence. He kept catching himself staring at her, neglecting the person in front of him. She was an enigma, a mystery. Possessing the same name and face as the woman he'd known at nine years old, yet she hadn't aged a day in twenty years. Not that she acknowledged even having been there.</p><p>Yet, the moment their eyes had locked, he'd felt intensely connected to her. He studied her as she watched Alkos doing evaluations on the other side of the room. She appeared fascinated by the process they used to find Force-sensitive people. She insisted on watching, offering to go last. He'd agreed, not wanting her to leave. There was no question she had the Force, she practically blazed with it. He suspected she even knew how to use it. Fluttering erupted in his stomach as she laughed at something Alkos said.</p><p>"So do I got the Force thing?" The man in front of him looked at Ben expectantly.</p><p>Ben blinked. "Let's do it once more. I'm just going to stand behind you and just touch your mind. You need to focus on the pebble. It's such a tiny pebble. Can you push it, even just a little?" Ben opened his mind slightly, barely brushing against the man's mind.</p><p>The man grunted, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried desperately to push the pebble with his mind. The pebble refused to obey.</p><p>Ben got no inkling of the Force from this man. He gently laid his hand on the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry, no."</p><p>"Didn't think so. Just thought I'd check since you Jedi people were here." The man tromped down the ramp.</p><p>A blond woman stepped forward, a coy smile on her red lips. "Ready for me?" she asked in a breathy tone, bright blue eyes gazing up at him.</p><p>He smiled and gestured her to come to him. "Hello. Do you believe you might be Force-sensitive?"</p><p>She ignored his question. "Are you really a Jedi Prince?"</p><p>He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He hated being called that. "Just a Jedi," he replied. "I'm going to stand behind you and just touch your mind. You need to focus on the pebble-" He almost bit his tongue as she pressed herself against the length of his body. Her ass rubbed against his pelvis.</p><p>Jealousy</p><p>The emotion hit him out of nowhere, then faded. It was so odd, like the emotion didn't really belong to him. He surely felt no jealousy towards this woman. It hadn't been the first time somebody attempted to seduce him during one of these evaluation sessions. He felt more bored annoyance than anything.</p><p>He stepped back away from her and his gaze landed on Rey. Her eyes were narrowed as she glared at the blond woman. Ben realized with shock that not only was Rey jealous of this woman trying to seduce him, but he could feel her emotions!</p><p>The woman stepped back into him again. After such a revelation, he needed to get away from her. He lightly pushed her forward. "I'm sorry, you're not Force-sensitive."</p><p>The blond woman turned pursing her red lips. "Are you sure? Maybe you could give me a private lesson?" She ran a finger down his bicep. "Maybe in your bedroom."</p><p>This one was bold. "I don't think so. You may leave now. Good day."</p><p>She frowned as she stared up at him. Then she shrugged. "Your loss." The woman then stalked over to Rey. She whispered, but not low enough that Ben couldn't hear her words, "You're still nothing but a dirty sand rat, Rey, whether you have the Force or not. I'm telling Plutt you're here."</p><p>Rey's eyes widened.</p><p>Fear</p><p>Anger</p><p>More emotions that didn’t belong to him. They definitely came from Rey.</p><p>The blond woman stalked towards the ramp.</p><p>Ben, who couldn't look away from Rey, saw her focus on the woman's back. She pressed her lips together then flicked her fingers out.</p><p>He whipped his head around in time to see the woman get knocked over and go sprawling on the floor. A young man who'd been in line waiting for an evaluation helped her get up and guided her down the ramp.</p><p>Rey, a smirk on her face, walked in the opposite direction. She sat down in the corner on the other side and watched Alkos evaluate a young girl.</p><p>Ben closed his eyes, attempting to re-center himself and focus on the task at hand. He’d deal with what had just happened with Rey later. After a few moments of calm, he called the next person in line. He and Alkos worked steadily through all the people who'd requested an evaluation until none remained except Rey. The light outside dimmed into twilight and shadows surrounded them. Alkos excused himself, giving Ben a wink behind Rey's back. Ben almost Force-pushed him to the ground.</p><p>Rey smiled shyly as she walked over to him. "My turn? Should I push the pebble with my mind?"</p><p>Ben laughed. "I saw you push something much bigger than a pebble with your mind."</p><p>Her smile turned sheepish as she looked at the floor. "You saw that, huh? I probably shouldn't have done that. It's not the Jedi way. It's just that Adalinah and I go back a long way, none of it pleasant."</p><p>"She deserved it. The only thing you hurt was her pride. Besides, that young man never came back so I think she got her claws into him."</p><p>"Poor guy," Rey giggled. She stepped closer to him.</p><p>Ben's heart sped up as her eyes locked with his again. They air seemed to heat between them, sizzling. He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms. His muscles tensed.</p><p>Rey bit her lip. Then she closed her eyes and stepped back. The spell broke. </p><p>"I should go," she said in a sad voice. "It's getting dark."</p><p>Ben shook his head. He definitely did not want Rey to go. "Stay here. We have extra rooms. You're the only Force-sensitive person we've found here so far."</p><p>She licked her lips, which almost made him groan. "I promise I'll come back tomorrow."</p><p>Without thinking, he did something he'd never done before. Something forbidden to him as a Jedi. He took her hand, which looked so small in his, and pressed a kiss into her palm.</p><p>Rey drew in a shuddering breath, her eyes smoldering.</p><p>A spark of desire flared up in Ben. He couldn't be sure if it was his own emotion or Rey's.</p><p>After a moment, she slipped her hand away from him. "Tomorrow, I promise. Good night, Ben."</p><p>Ben nodded. He wouldn’t force her to stay. "Good night, Rey." He followed her down the ramp and watched her walk the three blocks to the inn down the road. Even in the dark, she shone like a white beacon to him.</p><p>Spinning around, he jogged up the ramp and hit the button to close it. He planted himself at the comm unit. Glancing at the chronometer, he figured it should still be daylight at the Jedi Temple despite it being night here on Jakku. He activated it.</p><p>Luke's face appeared on the screen. His beard had gone completely gray, as well as much of his brown hair. However, he'd kept both short and well-groomed. His right blue eyes seemed curious. A thick scar ran through the side of his face where his left once was. "Ben! How is it going on Jakku? Have you found any Force-sensitive people?"</p><p>"Uncle Luke, I mean Master Skywalker, no. I mean, yes. I found... someone." Ben cringed at the confused quality in his own voice.</p><p>Luke looked at him questioningly. "Ben, take a breath then tell me what's going on."</p><p>Ben sucked in a cleansing breath. "I found Rey. Do you remember Rey?"</p><p>"I remember Rey."</p><p>"But she's exactly the same as she was twenty years ago. I mean, exactly the same. She hasn't aged at all. How is that possible?"</p><p>"Has she said she's the same person from twenty years ago?"</p><p>Ben shook his head.</p><p>"What has she told you?"</p><p>"I asked if it could have been her mother at the training temple, and she said her mother abandoned her on Jakku when she was five years ago. She had no knowledge of her mother's prior activities. This woman here would have been an infant back then, if she'd even been born yet!"</p><p>"Ben..."</p><p>He closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face. "Sorry. Why was Rey there at the training temple all those years ago?”</p><p>Luke grimaced. "I made a promise to Rey back then that I wouldn't discuss the circumstances of her visit with anyone. I won't break my word to her."</p><p>"Alright. But there's something else. Something I don't understand that's happening between us."</p><p>"Go on," Luke prompted.</p><p>"I can sense her emotions. Not just sense them. Strong emotions flood through me. It’s just for a moment and I'm not even sure sometimes which emotions are hers and which ones are mine. It can be overwhelming. There's some kind of bond connecting us. How could that be happening?" Ben bounced against the chair, blowing off nervous energy.</p><p>"Have you ever heard of a Force Dyad?" Luke asked, studying his nephew through the screen.</p><p>Ben shook his head.</p><p>"It means two that are one in the Force. There's some prophecy about it, not that I'm too keen on listening to prophecy. Most of it's just bantha spit, but we can research it when you get back in a few days." Luke looked like he was jotting down a note off screen.</p><p>"We'll have to research quickly. I'm only going to be there for a day before my father picks me up to go to the lake house. Remember, there's a concert on Naboo. Are you going?" Ben asked.</p><p>Luke groaned. "I forgot about that. Your mother wants me to go, but I'm not sure if I can. I'll figure it out by the time Han gets here. In the meantime, you need to ask Rey direct questions. Don't make assumptions. If you are able to read her emotions, it's unlikely she'll be able to lie to you without you realizing it."</p><p>Ben nodded. "Good night, Uncle."</p><p>Luke gave him a grudging smile, allowing Ben's slip of the tongue. "Good night, Ben."</p><p>Ben switched off the comm unit and trudged back to his bedroom. The conversation with his uncle brought more questions than it had answered. Who exactly was Rey? Why did he feel so connected to her? What the kriff was a Force Dyad? He quickly changed into sleeping clothes and climbed in bed. He fell asleep with Rey in his thoughts.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Seven – Ben</p><p>Nightmares plagued his sleep, making him toss and turn restlessly. Most of them were just flashes of Rey and a large man, his face completely covered by an ominous mask. He pursued her through a forest as she shot at him with a blaster. He froze her in place, shoving a red lightsaber at her threateningly. Rey strapped to an interrogation chair as he stood over her. The two of them battling, his red lightsaber colliding into her blue one. Surely this masked man was a Sith, but his movements were disturbingly familiar to Ben. He struggled to help Rey, but he couldn't do more than observe.</p><p>He awoke sweaty and panting with a slight headache. After downing a cup of caff and taking a cold shower, he felt more himself. He fiddled around the ship until he thought it a more appropriate hour to venture outside. He poured hot caff into two portable cups and headed down the ramp off the ship. People were just getting out, opening the few shops along the thoroughfare. Most of them greeted him kindly and he nodded back to them. Only a few gave him the side-eye of suspicion.</p><p>Pulling open the door to the inn, a man at the front desk greeted him.</p><p>"Good day, Master Jedi!"</p><p>Ben smiled. "Good day. I'm looking for one of your patrons who stayed here last night. Her name is Rey."</p><p>"Of course. Allow me to check the registry." He flipped open a large book, then frowned. "Rey? I don't see anyone by that name having checked in."</p><p>"Are you sure?" Ben glanced at the book upside down but he also didn't see her name.</p><p>A coarse voice spoke up behind him. "Pretty girl, brown hair, dressed like a scavenger?"</p><p>Ben turned to see a scruffy man sweeping the floor in the hallway. "Yes, that's her."</p><p>"She's sleeping in the stable out back." He thumbed the door at the end of the hall.</p><p>The man at the front desk huffed. "You know you're not allowed to let the sand rats sleep in there! It looks bad to the paying customers."</p><p>The scruffy man shrugged. "She mucked out every stall with a thissermount in it last night. I wasn't going to say no to that."</p><p>The man at the front desk made a noise of frustration.</p><p>"Thank you," Ben told the scruffy man and headed to the stable. He was perplexed that Rey had chosen to muck stalls to sleep in a stable than take his offer for a room on the ship.</p><p>Some of the thissermounts stirred as he strolled through the stable, but most of them were too occupied with their breakfast to pay him much attention. He found Rey in the empty stall at the far end, curled up sleeping in the long grasses they used as bedding. Warmth spread over his body at seeing her, although he noted that she curled her body into what seemed like a protective cocoon. It made him wonder what had happened to her to train herself to sleep in such a defensive position.</p><p>She stirred. Keeping her eyes closed, she stretched out her body. Her arms reached over her head, arching her back and twisting her neck to the side.</p><p>Ben had seen enough holoporn to notice how closely her position resembled a woman’s in the throes of passion. His mouth watered to see her body move like that. He clenched his jaw shut to keep from drooling.</p><p>She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Good morning." Her smile widened. "You brought me caff. My hero." She stood up, brushed off several piece of grass sticking to her clothes and swung her bag over her shoulder. Then she happily accepted the cup he held out to her.</p><p>"You seriously turned down my offer for a room on my ship to sleep in a barn?" He said it jokingly but he really wanted to figure it out.</p><p>She shrugged. "It's really not so bad."</p><p>"Why didn't you stay inside the inn?"</p><p>She swallowed the caff in her mouth. "I don't have any credits."</p><p>That answer confused him. "None? How do you live here without credits?"</p><p>She smiled again. "I don't actually live here in Remiton. I live at the Niima Outpost, about three hours east of here. I used the last of my credits on the shuttle to get here when I heard the Jedi were looking for Force-sensitive people."</p><p>He froze, stopping in his tracks. His uncle had been right. He could tell when she lied to him, and she'd just done it.</p><p>She froze as well, looking at him almost hesitantly, like a child realizing they’d been caught. Then her eyes focused on the cup of caff in her hands. "I...I'm a scavenger slave."</p><p>Not a lie. "Rey, are you saying that your mother sold you into slavery when she abandoned you here?"</p><p>Her teeth bit into her lip and she still refused to look at him. "My parents had good reason. They were trying to protect me."</p><p>A connection in his brain light up. "That woman yesterday, the one you called Adalinah, said she was going to tell Plutt you were here. Is he the one who owns you?"</p><p>"Yes." She finally looked up at him, a sparkle in her eye. "But you don't have to worry. It'll be at least another day or two before he sends his thugs after me. They'll either haul me back or I'll be gone from here by then."</p><p>Ben had no intention of anybody hauling Rey off. He changed the subject instead. "I'm guessing there's no room service in the stable. Come have breakfast with me on the ship."</p><p>She squealed with excitement. "Yes! Anything's better than the ration bars I've been eating." She shifted her bag and opened it to show him the few bars she had left.</p><p>He couldn't help grimace. "Yuck! Those are disgusting. Let me feed you something better than that."</p><p>"Yes, please!"</p><p>He led her up the ramp and into the kitchen on the ship. He fed her meiloorun fruit and sunberries, which she ate with relish. As she bit into the fruit, juice ran down her chin, making her laugh and swipe it off with her forearm. Ben found himself having the absurd wish of wanting to lick the juice right off her skin. He had to shake his head to clear such thoughts when Alkos wandered in. His fellow Jedi cooked up some eggs, which he made the mistake of offering some to Rey. She devoured most of them.</p><p>As breakfast wrapped up, Ben struggled to make a decision about what to do for the rest of the day. He wanted to have a very frank conversation with Rey regarding her actual identity. Yet, the image of some thugs hauling Rey away from him haunted his mind. As much as he didn’t want to leave Rey, he had to put that thought to rest.</p><p>“Hey,” Ben interrupted Alkos showing Rey the contents of the refrigerator.</p><p>They both looked up at him.</p><p>“I’ve got an errand to run and it’s going to take most of the day. Alkos, I’m taking one of the speeders we’ve got below. There will probably be some more people wanting to be evaluated. Rey, could you please stay here with Alkos?”</p><p>Rey stepped close to him, big eyes on him. “Maybe I could come with you?”</p><p>Ben shook his head. “Unfortunately, this is something I have to do alone. A delicate situation.”</p><p>Rey pouted until Alkos spoke up. “What if I let you test people with the pebble? I wouldn’t have you touching minds, but just seeing if anyone could push that pebble. If so, even just a wobble, you’d pass them over to me. It’s how we start Padawans’ training for these evaluations.”</p><p>She tilted her head. “Yeah? I’d be like a Padawan?”</p><p>Alkos nodded.</p><p>Sweetening the deal, Ben added, “And I’ll cook you dinner. We’ve got all the right ingredients for Nerfsteak sandwiches, even the red nebula onions.”</p><p>Rey laughed. “Deal!” She leaned up and pecked him on the cheek before going to Alkos’ side.</p><p>The contact of her lips to his skin prompted a blush to spread across his cheeks. Alkos wiggling his eyebrows at Ben behind Rey’s back as he guided her to the training room. That heightened the heat in his face. A good heat. His fingertips touched the spot on his cheek.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, Ben set off on his mission. He filled a large water bottle and grabbed some ration bars, better tasting ones than Rey carried. He made sure he had a handheld pad secure in his pocket and his lightsaber at his hip. Descending down the narrow stairs behind the kitchen into the cargo area below the ship, he found two speeders by the cargo hatch. He checked them both and was please to find them both fully fueled. Some people got sloppy when putting them back. Just in case, he grabbed an extra fuel cell and a portable comm unit. He didn't dare get stuck out in the middle of the desert. He slapped some goggles and a helmet on and opened the cargo hatch. Then he climbed on and took off heading east. He opened himself to the Force to guide him to the Niima Outpost.</p><p>He enjoyed the rush of the wind around him as he sped on across the sand. But after a while, his thoughts turned to Rey. A storm of emotions swirled inside him over her.  She'd briefly walked into his life at nine years old and made such an impression on him that it had saved his life. Now, she's walked back into his life as an absolute mystery. A lovely, intriguing mystery. The thought of her being a slave, owned by some slave master, made him sick. The nightmares he'd had the night of her being plagued by that almost familiar masked man still bothered him.</p><p>Only having to stop twice to relieve his parched throat, he made good time to Niima. He pulled up to the tent marketplace and marveled at how tiny and desolate the outpost was. He thought Remiton was a backwater town, but it looked like a thriving metropolis compared to Niima. Not the ideal place to grow up.</p><p>He secured his speeder, pulling off his helmet and goggles. He felt eyes watching him intently from all around. He approached an old woman at the nearest tent. "Pardon me, can you direct me to Plutt?"</p><p>She squinted at him with cloudy eyes. "Jedi?"</p><p>"Yes, ma'am."<br/>"I survived the Battle of Jakku, but is this really surviving? Lost both my sons in that battle. We never recovered here after that. The New Republic forgot us. Have the Jedi come to help us?" She leaned forward, waiting for his answer.</p><p>Ben blew out a breath. "I am one Jedi, here to help one life. But my mother is a diplomat in the New Republic and assure you I will inform her of the conditions here. She'll be better able to render aid. Here, I can at least give you this." He handed her one of the ration bars from out of his bag.</p><p>She nodded to him. "Thank you, Jedi. Who are you helping here?"</p><p>"Rey."</p><p>She grasped his hand briefly. "Oh, she's a nice girl. Been a sand rat for too long. I'm glad someone has come to help her." Then she pointed to a squat, awning covered building at the end of the marketplace. "He's at the Concession Stand."</p><p>"Thanks you." He moved on, resolving to contact his mom about getting these people some help.</p><p>He stopped in front of the building, one of the few permanent structures at the Outpost. A filthy Crolute occupied the inside, his massive bulk moving slowly as he grabbed several pieces of scrap from a skinny, teenaged boy. His beady eyes flitted to Ben for a moment before doling out a few portions to the boy. The boy pressed them protectively against his chest, not acknowledging Ben at all as he rushed off.</p><p>"Jedi." Not a question, just an invitation to speak.</p><p>"Are you Plutt?"</p><p>The Crolute regarded him suspiciously. "What would a Jedi want from a simple scrap dealer as I?"</p><p>Ben stepped closer, right up to the window covered with protective wiring. "I wish to pay off the debt on one of your scavenger slaves."</p><p>Plutt's eyes widened and his fat lips smiled. "Need a slave for your Jedi Temple? My scavengers are worth quite a lot. Over a hundred credits for some of them. Which one caught your fancy?"</p><p>"Rey."</p><p>Plutt frowned. "My best scavenger. She's expensive. And she's difficult."</p><p>"Two hundred." Ben pulled the pad out of his pocket. He deliberately brushed his fingers against the lightsaber. He wanted to get this over with.</p><p>"I don't know." Plutt shifted on his feet. "She's turned into such a pretty thing. I've had a few offers for her for other services. Some of them like it when their slaves are difficult."</p><p>Rage boiled up in Ben at the mere suggestion of Rey being sold as a sex slave. A growl ripped from his throat. His arm flew out in front of him, fingers pulling and squeezing.</p><p>Plutt smashed into the wiring in front of the window. His thick, dirty hands pawed at his throat as his airway cut off. The beady eyes practically bulged out of his head.</p><p>Ben immediately dropped his hand, releasing the Crolute. Shame replaced rage at his loss of control. He'd spent years learning to tame his temper, but it flared fiercely in defense of Rey. His outburst had only lasted a few seconds but he regretted it. Well, most of him did.</p><p>Plutt landed hard on the floor out of Ben's view. He heard distressed coughing and wheezing. Then one of those meaty hands gripped the edge of the window and hauled the enormous body back to his feet. The other hand still clutched at his throat. "Two hundred," Plutt gasped out.</p><p>Ben almost laughed, but he held his tongue. The Crolute was still demanding payment after being choked out. Gutsy.</p><p>He typed into the pad and turned to Plutt. "Your thumbprint signs the release papers, ending Rey's service to you. It will also transfer the credits into your account."</p><p>Plutt quickly pressed his thumb into the screen. Then he lumbered away from the window, collapsed in a chair that barely looked able to contain his bulk and closed his eyes. He still rubbed at his neck.</p><p>"One last thing," Ben spoke up.</p><p>No reaction. Did he fall asleep?</p><p>Ben continued anyway. "Where was Rey living? I want to collect her things."</p><p>A fat arm stretched out, a finger pointing behind him.</p><p>Ben turned and squinted. He could just barely make out a structure mostly buried in the sand off in the distance. "Thank you," he said over his shoulder as he strode through the sand. The sand annoyed him as it drifted into his boots.</p><p>He stopped when he reached the structure. It looked vaguely familiar. He circled around it, realizing it was part of an All-Terrain Armored Transport, nicknamed AT-AT. Obviously, an Empire remnant from the battle so many years ago.</p><p>He ducked through the opening, which had been cut too small for him to stand upright. As he raised his head, his stomach clenched. The space was dark, cramped and not inviting in the least. The thousands of scratches lining the far wall spoke volumes of her loneliness. There wasn't even a real bed. She'd slept on old cushions sewn together along with a threadbare blanket. His heart ached thinking of Rey living here. It made him more determined that she would never come back here.</p><p>He glanced around but saw nothing of value, either sentimental or monetarily. He left quickly, taking long strides to his speeder. Throwing on his helmet and goggles, he left the sad Niima Outpost behind.</p><p>Unlike on the way there, his mind stayed steady with only one thought, getting back to Rey. He needed to know the truth about her. With his ability to decipher truth from lie, he hoped for a very frank discussion.</p><p>Misery</p><p>The overwhelming sadness slashed through him, heartbreaking in such a way that his hand clutched at his chest. </p><p>Then, for just an instant, he saw her right in front of him. She was lying down, curled around something, crying miserably. Tears streamed down her face as she quietly sobbed. </p><p>He almost crashed the speeder. It wobbled dangerously and he gripped hard to keep from being thrown off. He got control and put the brakes on. Ripping off the helmet and goggles, he leaned forward to press his head into the handle bars.</p><p>What the hell was that? Why was Rey crying like that? He closed his eyes, replaying the scene in his mind. She hung on to a pillow. His pillow.</p><p>He scrambled off the bike, ripping open the fuel cap and shoving the extra fuel pod in. He'd be able to drive faster with the extra boost. He was even more desperate to get back to Rey now.</p><p>A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Loving your reviews!</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Eight – Rey</p><p>Rey watched out the window of the ship as Ben's speeder raced out of Remiton. She wondered what sort of errand he had to run. Maybe he had to confer with Lor San Tekka at the Tuanul Village in the Kelvin Ravine. She knew there'd been some kind of spiritual group there when she'd lived on Jakku, had even seen some of them journey to Niima for supplies, but had never been there. Finn had told her about the attack by the First Order led by Kylo Ren later, which had ultimately set the events of her discovery into motion. She blew out a breath as Ben disappeared in the distance, wishing she could have gone with him.</p><p>Alkos' reflection appeared in the glass beside her as he approached. "Ready to help me with these evaluations? We've already got a line outside, although not nearly as long as yesterday."</p><p>Rey smiled and nodded. She followed Alkos back to the training area. Helping people to focus on moving pebbles was more fulfilling than she realized it could be. They treated her almost reverently, even though she wasn't technically a Jedi in this world. She even knew a few of them from the Niima Outpost. They were surprised to see her there but didn't question it.</p><p>Several hours later, they finished with all the people hoping to leave Jakku to become Jedi. Sadly, none possessed the power to use the Force.</p><p>"Have the Jedi always been doing these evaluations?" Rey asked Alkos as he raised the ramp.</p><p>The blue-haired Jedi shook his head. "We only started doing them about five years ago. Master Skywalker wanted to reach out to impoverished planets that might not have the resources to send a Force-sensitive person to the Temple. Ben and I do it a lot; we make a good team. I think Ben also uses it as a way to provide information to his mother about what planets need the attention of the New Republic. I suspect he'll be reporting Jakku to her." His smile became a bit cheekier. "Plus, Ben loves flying this ship around the galaxy. Remember when he used to carry that little X-wing toy around all those years ago. Part of him always wanted to be a pilot like his father."</p><p>Rey didn't answer. She didn't know how to answer.</p><p>"It's okay. I know it was you there twenty years ago. Ben has his doubts but I know it. I was the one who found you in the woods after feeling a disturbance in the Force. Do you remember that?"</p><p>Rey looked up. She let the act of innocence fall away from her. "I remember."</p><p>"You were disoriented, clinging to a tree. There had been no ship and there's no way you walked there. Five days later, you left as mysteriously as you arrived. But you smell the same."</p><p>Rey tilted her head. “What?”<br/>"Most people don't know this, but my species has a very strong sense of smell. We can tell when someone ages or surgery to look younger or is actually a shapeshifter impersonating someone else. Yet, you smell exactly the same as twenty years ago. I won't ask you why, at least not right now. But..." He paused, frowning.</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>Alkos breathed in deeply. "You and Ben smell the same."</p><p>Rey blinked.</p><p>He continued. "Not superficially. Your more noticeable scent is of sand and desert flowers. Ben's is of earth and fire, a fire he keeps tightly controlled. But deeper, underneath, you share the same scent.  I've never encountered it before. Even the closest identical twins have different deep scents. How can yours possibly be the same?"</p><p>Rey bit her lip. "I have some idea why, but I need to talk to Ben about it."</p><p>Alkos nodded. "You need to tell him the truth. You should also know that Ben was devastated when you left. Truly heartbroken. I'd rather not see him like that again."</p><p>Rey's stomach twisted hearing his words. "I don't plan on leaving him again," she whispered.</p><p>"Good. Listen, are you alright if I lay down for a little while? It's not so bad when I've got a partner helping me with the Force evaluations, but it drains me when I'm alone. I can show you to one of our extra rooms."</p><p>"Sure," Rey answered as she followed him past the kitchen and living area.</p><p>He stopped at the first door, opening it. "For you."</p><p>She peeked inside at a small room with a narrow bed, desk with a chair and a chest of drawers. A refresher opened on the side. "Perfect."</p><p>He tilted his head to the door across the hall. "That one's mine if you need anything."</p><p>She smiled. "Thank you."</p><p>He disappeared inside his room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.</p><p>Rey laid down on the bed. Comfortable, especially compared to the stable she slept in the night before. She resolved to tell Ben the truth when he got back. She'd have to find the right time, but he deserved to know what was going on.</p><p>Rage<br/>The raw emotion stabbed through her so quickly she fell off the side of the bed. Before she could pick herself off the floor, the rage melted away. </p><p>Shame</p><p>Ben must have gotten so angry he'd done something he'd regretted.</p><p>Rey almost sent herself to him, but stopped herself at the last second. Seeing her appear right in front of him without anyone else seeing or hearing her would have been a lot to explain. Plus, she really didn't know what kind of situation he was involved in.</p><p>She hoisted herself up using the bed and paced around the room. The walls closed in around her and all of the sudden, the room seemed much too small. She rushed out of the door into the hallway, breathing heavy. Not wanting to disturb Alkos, she walked down the hallway away from his room.</p><p>The first door she opened revealed a room just like hers, devoid of any personal effects. The next door opened into a storage room. The next door caught her attention. This bedroom was being lived in, meaning it had to be Ben's. Seeing his living space intrigued her enough to override her sense of decency in regard to his privacy. She couldn't help but to snoop around.</p><p>His bed was somewhat larger than the narrow ones in the guest rooms. It made sense considering his large frame. It looked ripped apart, like he'd had a restless night without much sleep. A brown jacket hung over the chair, looking a lot like Han's. A few Jedi texts sat on the desk, one that he'd been studying still open. Rey smiled when she saw a familiar, worn X-wing toy off to the side.</p><p>She walked around the bed, running her fingers over the soft blanket. A small nightstand sat on the other side. A single framed photo sat alone on top of it. Rey loved the idea that he kept a real paper picture with him. So sentimental!</p><p>Picking it up, she examined it more closely. The smile fell off her face as her head spun. She involuntarily sat down on his bed, unable to look away from the image.</p><p>Han stood on one end, his goofy grin animating his face. He looked less scruffy than when she last saw him. His hands rested on Leia's shoulders next to him. Leia looked younger with her long hair down and streaked with much less grey. Her arm linked around Ben's. Ben smiled widely and his eyes squinted almost closed. The tiniest tip of his tongue squeezed between his teeth. Absolutely adorable.</p><p>It was the fourth person in the picture that disturbed Rey so much. The beautiful young woman hung on Ben's shoulder while his arm embraced her around the waist. Her auburn hair was perfectly braided around her head. Her brown eyes glinted with mischief while her full lips opened in a silent laugh. They all looked so happy.</p><p>Sadness enveloped Rey. She dropped the picture back on the nightstand and flung herself on Ben's bed. Tears drenched the sheets under her as she bawled. Choking on her grief, she grabbed Ben's pillow, embracing it. It smelled like him, that bit of earth and fire Alkos mentioned. Having his scent drift over her made her cry harder.</p><p>Of course he'd found someone! He's a Jedi Prince! Tall, handsome, powerful, and without all the anger he'd cocooned himself in when she'd first met him. How could any woman resist him? Just like Adalinah. </p><p>Then suddenly, Ben appeared right in front of her! He wore a helmet and goggles, so he probably was still on the speeder. It only lasted a blink of a second and then he disappeared.</p><p>Rey's eyes widened. He'd obviously sensed her emotional panic and their bond snapped him to her. He'd seen her crying her eyes out, clutching onto his pillow. She could imagine his confusion.</p><p>She wiped her eyes, needing to get control of herself. If he'd been on the speeder, it meant he was on his way back here. She debated getting up and going into the living space for when he arrived, but what was the point? He already knew she'd been in his bed. Surrounded by his stuff and scent, it was the best place to wallow in her misery and collect her thoughts.</p><p>She'd anticipated the possibility of him taking the typical vow of celibacy of the Jedi Order, but him being with another woman just seemed so much worse. Yet, maybe she could still be a Jedi working right beside him. At least he would be in her life, sharing her soul and space. It would be much better than the emptiness she'd experienced when he was gone. Maybe someday she'd even be content with just that.</p><p>She snorted. Unlikely.</p><p>Still holding his pillow, she grabbed the picture off the nightstand. She didn't actually want to look at it, but needed Ben to acknowledge it when he came back. His reaction to it, and her obvious invasion of his bedroom, might make it easier to decide just how much she told him about everything. While she waited, her body relaxed into the comfortable mattress. After her emotional outburst, she felt drained and let herself doze off into a light sleep.</p><p>It didn't take long before she heard his heavy steps in the hallway. She woke up, eyes going to the door, but not moving otherwise. </p><p>The door slid open. He stood there for a minute, studying her with that intensity he radiated.</p><p>Concern</p><p>"This is the second time in one day I've found you sleeping somewhere unexpected."</p><p>His warm voice washed over her. She shivered.<br/> Then he plunked himself down on the desk chair "What happened?"</p><p>"Nothing."</p><p>He glared at her. He knew she was lying. It was written all over his face.</p><p>He pursued his lips and his eyes shifted to the picture she held. He gently plucked it from her fingers.</p><p>"It's a beautiful picture." Rey attempted to keep the misery out of her voice, but knew she'd failed as soon as the words were said.</p><p>He didn't look up. A small smile touched his lips. "Yes. My mother insisted it had to be on paper, even though I told her a holo would be just as good."</p><p>Rey said nothing. She fought back the tears threatening to break.</p><p>"It was taken at our lake house on Naboo. We all try to go every year, but sometimes our schedules don't always allow for it. I think my mother was just so happy my sister was there with us this year."</p><p>Rey's entire body jerked upright in shock. "Your sister?!" Without waiting for an answer, she snatched the picture out his hand.</p><p>"Yes, Mirabella. She hadn't been with us for almost two years before that. So many obligations."</p><p>Rey examined the young woman in the picture again more closely. The resemblance was there, she'd just missed it. The young woman had the same shape to her face as Leia, as well as the quality of her light brown hair. That mischievous twinkle in her eye? It was all Han's. Her full lips mirrored Ben's, and she even had a small mole by the outer corner of her left eye. This was Ben's sister. A sister he'd never had before. Relief washed over her.</p><p>Ben visibly relaxed. He tilted his head to her. "Surely you've heard of Mirabella Solo?"</p><p>Rey shook her head.</p><p>He chuckled. "Maybe don't tell her that when you meet her. She fancies herself quite famous."</p><p>Rey's spirits soared hearing him say "when" instead of "if" in regard to meeting his sister. She mentally kicked herself for overreacting so harshly, even ending up in his bed. She should have just asked him who the woman in the picture was! Although, in her own defense, Ben didn't have a sister before. "Famous?" she questioned.</p><p>"Mirabella is a singer, and even I have to admit, quite a good one. My baby sister has sold out arenas on several planets over the past two years. That's why she hadn't been with us at the lake house until this year. In fact, she's doing a concert on Naboo for the first time in a few days. I'd like you to come with us." Ben bit his lip with the invitation, almost like he was nervous she’d say no.</p><p>"A concert? I've never been to a concert. I'd love too!" She tumbled across the bed and grasped him in a tight hug. He was taking her with him, getting her off this planet!</p><p>His arms curled around her, hesitant at first, but then pressing her closer into his body. She stilled as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed deeply. The heat of him surrounded her, her heart thudding faster. A slight shift of her head and she could kiss his neck. Shared desire flamed through both of them.</p><p>Then he pulled away. She had to stop herself from grabbing him again.</p><p>"Rey, we have to talk."</p><p>Rey sighed and sat back down on the bed. He was right.</p><p>"I need to know what's going on. Who are you? Are you the same woman I knew as a child, even though you would have been a baby back then? Why do I feel your emotions, know when you're lying? Why did I see you crying on my bed when I was on a speeder in the middle of the desert?" His eyes implored her for answers.</p><p>She licked her lips and took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard of a Force Dyad?"</p><p>He straightened up, brow furrowing. "I hadn't until last night when I spoke with Master Skywalker. He asked the same question."</p><p>"It means two that are one in the Force. You and I are a Force Dyad." His eyes widened, but she continued. "We are bonded in a way that not only hasn't been seen in generations, but was also prophesized. It's why we can sense each other's emotions. We can see each other over light years, even touch each other, especially if one of us is in need."</p><p>He stared at her for a moment. Then he asked in a low voice, "Were you that same woman twenty years ago?"</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"How have you not aged?"</p><p>Rey's voice crept up in volume. "It was twenty years ago for you, but it was only two days ago for me!"</p><p>"How?” he repeated louder, throwing his hands up.</p><p>"Time travel. I traveled back in time to save you." </p><p>He blinked. Not a lie. Then he closed his eyes. "When I first arrived at the temple, Uncle Luke said you were there to right a wrong. Was I what was wrong?"</p><p>"No! Not you. What was done to you. The dark side manipulated you, your family abandoned you, Luke betrayed you. I fixed all that! Luke helped me." She touched Ben's hand, happy when he didn't pull away. "Luke cried when I told him what he did to you."</p><p>"I crossed over to the dark side."</p><p>"Yes, but you came back to the light in the end. You came back for me."</p><p>He pulled open the top drawer of the desk and pulled out a scrap of paper. Then he handed it to her.</p><p>Rey gasped. On it was a drawing of Kylo Ren's mask. "Where did you see this?"</p><p>"I dreamed of him last night. Disjointed nightmares, all with you and him. He chased you through a forest. He had you strapped to an interrogation chair. He fought you with a red lightsaber. I never saw his face under the mask, but I recognized his movements." He pointed at the picture. "Was this me?"</p><p>Rey nodded.</p><p>"From everything I've seen, we were enemies. I was a monster in a mask torturing you. What would you help me?"</p><p>His use of her own words from before struck her hard. Her eyes drifted down to the floor. Her voice dropped an octave. "I did hate you, especially in the beginning. But things changed. You deserved a second chance." Her eyes rose back to his. "Ben, I'll share my memories with you. It'll be painful, but you'll understand why I did what I had to do." She reached out to him, her hand hovering in the air between them.</p><p>He stared at her hand, his teeth biting at his lips.</p><p>Trepidation</p><p>Rey couldn't blame him for his hesitancy. She thought about the image of herself in the long black robes on the fallen Death Star, sharp teeth and hissing like a snake. She wished she'd never seen that version of herself. Yet, that had been just a flash. He’d have to confront a lifetime of those images.</p><p>Seconds turned to minutes.</p><p>"It's okay, Ben. You don't have to see. We can be together without it. Or not, if that's what you prefer. I'll leave and you'd never have to see me again. I'll be content just knowing you're alive." She put her hand down.</p><p>"No!" He put his hand up. "Show me."</p><p>She slipped her small hand into his large one. He curled his fingers around hers, so warm and inviting. She saw him close his eyes. Throwing a shield around the few memories she just couldn't share with him-</p><p>Grandfather</p><p>-she opened her mind to him.</p><p>He barely touched her consciousness at first, but then delved deeper. His hand shuddered around hers.</p><p>Rey's vision suddenly tunneled, like she was being pulled through a dark hallway. She tried to throw a shield up to protect herself, but it failed.</p><p>Both Ben and Rey slumped into unconsciousness. Their bodies fell to the floor, Rey landing on top of Ben, as their minds connected fully. Their hands remained entwined.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Nine – Rey</p><p>             The coldness of the tile floor pressing into her cheek roused Rey into consciousness. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before blinking them open. White floor stretched out to meet a white wall. She groaned as she turned her head. The steady beeping of some kind of equipment sounded in her ears. Climbing up slowly, she made it to her feet.</p><p> A man with brown hair and wearing a brown jacket sat on a stool besides a hospital bed. He held the hand of the patient lying on the bed in his own hands.</p><p>"Han?" Rey ventured.</p><p>The man didn't acknowledge her. Rey slowly walked over. He had his eyes closed, his face pained.</p><p>"Han?" Rey tried again.</p><p>Still no response.</p><p>She put her hand on his shoulder and almost fell back to the floor when she passed right through him. She jumped back, shocked.</p><p>Still he didn't acknowledge her.</p><p>Realization began to dawn on her. She looked at the hospital bed and her stomach dropped seeing Ben lying unconscious on it. The beeping came from machines hooked up to him. A line of fluid dripped into his arm from a bag hung above him. He looked young, not as young as when she'd known him as a child, but not the man he would become.  Somewhere in between.</p><p>This had to be one of his memories. As he delved into her mind, apparently she'd been pulled into his mind. She didn't know what was going on here, but she didn't like it.</p><p> The door behind her opened and Rey startled to see Luke, Leia and a young girl of about eight enter the room. She presumed the girl to be Mirabella, especially since she argued with Leia as they came in.</p><p> "But I want to go with you. I wanna help Ben too!" Mirabella pouted as she clutched Leia's hand.</p><p> Leia sighed and got down on one knee. Her hands found the girl's shoulders. "I know you want to help your brother, but the best way you can help is to stay here." She glanced at Han, who was still holding Ben's hand but watching them. "I really need you here to take care of Daddy. You're going to have to make sure he eats and sleeps and bathes!"<br/>"I'll get super stinky if you're not here, little princess." Han lifted his arm and sniffed at his armpit. "Phew!"<br/>Mirabella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you are pretty useless without Mom around."<br/>"Hey!" Han cried resentful, but had a smile on his face before he got up and gathered the girl in his arms. He lifted her up, hugging her fiercely. Then he set her down and drew Leia into a hug. He whispered in her ear, "I love you. Kill that bastard who's hurting our son."</p><p> Leia nodded into his shoulder. Tears shown in her eyes. She squeezed him then let go, hugging her daughter.</p><p> Han gripped Luke's hand in his. "Thank you."</p><p>"I promised I would protect him. To see him savagely attacked by the dark side pains me so." Luke squeezed Han's shoulder. "We will kill that bastard."</p><p>Han nodded.</p><p>Luke put his arm around his sister and guided her out. She glanced back over her shoulder at her family and those tears in her eyes escaped down her cheeks.</p><p> Han pulled up another stool from the corner to put next to his for Mirabella. Then he resumed his vigil, taking Ben's hand again.</p><p> Rey had to take a deep breath. She'd been mesmerized by this scene of Ben's family rallying around him. Her heart broke knowing he truly had not escaped unscathed from the dark side. She knew who the bastard was they planned on killing.</p><p>The tiniest sound of distress slipped from Ben's lips.</p><p> Rey's eyes flew to his face. His brow creased very slightly. She instinctively reached to smooth away his pain. Even as her hand passed through him, she felt herself being further sucked into this memory, right into Ben's head.</p><p>The image in front of her when she opened her eyes confused her. A large, bright screen reminding her of a holovid practically blinded her in the otherwise dark surroundings. She blinked and once her eyes adjusted, she saw Han on the screen, sitting on that same stool while holding Ben's hand. Mirabella wandered around the room, touching panels and examining the machines. Then she stepped out of the screen. Rey realized it was Ben's perspective from on the bed of the hospital room. </p><p>The cracking of a whip followed by a groan sounded behind her. Rey spun around, crying out to see Ben there, trapped within his mind. Not just trapped, but tortured. He hung with his arms high above his head. Thick rope wrapped around his wrists, rubbing nasty marks into his skin, and disappearing into the blackness above. He wore no shirt or shoes, just a tattered pair of brown pants. His left eye was swollen shut, but he also had his good right eye closed. A wicked cut split open his lower lip. Blood ran down from a stab wound in his shoulder. His feet looked purple with abrasion as they scrapped along the floor, no longer able to support his weight.</p><p>The whip cracked again. Ben gasped as it slashed across his back, the cut on his lip dripping more blood.</p><p>Snoke stood behind Ben. His deformed mouth twisted in a wicked grin as he drew back to whip Ben again.</p><p>Rey's arm immediately flew up, attempting to shove him away from Ben using the Force. "Get away from him!" Nothing happened. This was just a memory, nothing she could influence. She cried out again as the whip flayed Ben once more.</p><p> "You think your family can find me? Even if they do, I'm going to kill them. I'll split your mother down the middle and cut off your uncle's head!</p><p>"Come to me, Kylo. Come to the dark side and all of this will stop. You'll have power beyond your imagination. Your family will be protected. Only you can save them. And, as a Sith, you'll experience any pleasure you desire, something the Jedi deny you."</p><p>Snoke rose the whip again, but then dropped it. His eyes squeezed tight in agony as his hands slammed down over his ears. "That noise!" he shrieked.</p><p> The sweetest voice singing a lovely lullaby drifted into the darkness. Rey turned back to the screen, Ben's outside view of the world. Mirabella had moved her stool to the other side of Ben's bed and held his other hand. She sang to her crippled brother,<br/>Darkness fall, a favorite blanket that surrounds us all,<br/>A quiet ending to a busy day,<br/>Of noise and troubles we have to put away to sleep,<br/>You and I<br/>You in your bedroom, me up in the sky,<br/>As close as dreaming, we are holding hands,<br/>We hug so tightly as you lay down, down to sleep,<br/>To sleep<br/>Dream your dreams, unspoken magic may be what it seems... </p><p>("Space Lullaby" by Chris Hadfield)</p><p>            In the midst of this horrific scene, Rey smiled as that melodious voice soothed her. Rey looked back at Ben. He still kept his eyes closed, but his expression of pain and despair melted away. Rey realized with a start that the girl was infusing a Force suggestion of calm happiness into her voice! She wondered if Mirabella was aware of her power. No wonder Ben's sister went on to become a famous singer who could sell out arenas! Who wouldn't want to feel this way?</p><p>Apparently, not Snoke! He shrieked again in agony. "If you don't come to me, Kylo, I'm going to shove a lightsaber down her pretty little throat!"</p><p>With that, Snoke disappeared.</p><p>Mirabella finished her song, releasing Rey from the spell.</p><p>Ben’s head slumped against his suspended arm.</p><p>Rey cried for him, wanting to touch him. Wanting to tell him he would get through this.</p><p>“Ben.” A feminine voice called his name. Not Mirabella. A different voice.</p><p>Ben’s right eye opened, his head straightening. “Rey,” he croaked out in a voice so desperate and longing.</p><p>Rey gasped. Could he see her? She reached out for him, then movement caught her eye. She froze as a woman materialized out of the darkness.</p><p>It was herself!</p><p>Rey’s mouth gaped open as she observed this version of herself. She wasn’t sure if she’d actually ever looked so beautiful. She wore a white dress, which shimmered in the darkness like a beacon of light. It hugged her curves then flowed out around her legs. Her thick, brown hair cascaded down her back and around her shoulders. No scars marred her bare arms. Her red lips parted as she stopped in front of him. “Ben.” </p><p>“Rey,” he said again, his tone now worshipful.</p><p>She ran her fingers over his face in a gentle caress. "Fight it, Ben. Don't ever stop fighting it. Don't let it take you!"</p><p>Rey realized this beautiful version of herself spoke the same words that she’d said to nine-year-old Ben right before she’d been pulled back to the future.</p><p>“I’m trying,” he replied. “It hurts so much.”</p><p>Beautiful Rey cupped both his cheeks with her hands. "You are so strong." Then she kissed him full on the mouth.</p><p>Ben’s body shuddered.</p><p>A blush crept up Rey’s face as she watched their intimacy. </p><p>Then she felt the same pulling as when her mind was sucked into Ben’s memory. Her consciousness rushed out of him, back into her own body. She woke up back in Ben’s quarters, staring up at the ceiling. Somehow, she’d ended up on the floor. She shifted then yelped when she realized she was lying on top of Ben. Untangling her hand from his, she shifted off him.</p><p>He remained unconscious, bur she could see him frowning and his body twitching. Her heart went out to him. It had been difficult to see his memory. She couldn’t imagine how hard it would be for him to see himself as the enemy in most of her story.</p><p>She crawled around him, then sat down and pulled his head into her lap. She ran her fingers across his face, mimicking the caresses of her beautiful self.</p><p>Ben stilled, his face relaxing. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked up at her.</p><p> </p><p>A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I adore your comments.<br/>The lullaby lyrics are by Chris Hadfield. I tried to write my own, but when I found one called "Space Lullaby", I couldn't not use it. Besides, it's a good likelihood that 8-year-old Mirabella would sing a familiar song to Ben, not something she came up with. Does that make sense?</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Ten – Ben</p><p>Ben knelt down on the rocky ground beside Rey. She sobbed into that black shirt, the one that still had the hole in it where she'd impaled him with his own lightsaber. It was all that was left of him on Exegol. Ben longed to take her into his arms, had even tried, but he just slipped right through her. This was a memory, and he was just a spectator.</p><p>He'd seen so many of her memories, images that jumbled up in his head and would need to be more carefully examined later. He’d even seen beyond this point of his death, including her discovery of the ancient Jedi time machine. What an immensely powerful device with the very real potential to be used as a weapon! He was convinced a weaker person, or one not so pure of heart as Rey, would've perished when attempting to use it.</p><p>Yet, he ended up back here in her memory of his death again. It obviously figured strongly into everything that had happened to her since. He'd seen her magnificence as she defeated the Emperor, but then it went black with her death. The first time he'd experienced that memory, he'd almost had a mental breakdown. Her dying was infinitely more painful than his own death.</p><p>His other self had revived her, giving every last bit of the life force left in him to her. She'd awoken in his arms, and Ben couldn't help the twinge of jealousy when she’d kissed him. That jealousy had quickly changed to horror when his other self lay down in death and disappeared a moment later.</p><p>A tugging sensation bothered at the fringes of his awareness. He pushed it away, not ready to depart, but it became more insistent. Pressure built-up around him despite him fighting to stay. Then it tugged him so hard he flew out of Rey's memories and back into himself.</p><p>He swam upwards through his own consciousness. Soft caresses along the skin of his cheeks and forehead lured him further back into himself. His head rested on Rey's legs, definitely a place he liked being. Finally, he opened his eyes.</p><p>Rey looked down at him, her head upside down from his perspective. She chewed her bottom lip adorably and he could feel her concern for him.</p><p>"I'm alright," he assured her.</p><p>She didn't look convinced.</p><p>Reluctantly, he rolled away from her and stood up. "I need some air." He held out his hand to her. "Will you walk with me?"</p><p>She nodded and clasped his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She didn't let go of his hand as they soundlessly left the ship and walked through the streets of Remiton. He liked that too. Twilight settled on the place, shadows lengthening as they strolled randomly.</p><p>"Do you want to talk about it?" she ventured.</p><p>So many thoughts flitted through his mind that he could barely separate them out. The murder of his father came to the forefront, but he definitely didn't want to acknowledge that memory yet. Too painful. He shoved it back down. "I'm still just processing it all."</p><p>"Can I..." She hesitated then started over. "Can I ask you a question?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>"When you were in my memories, I somehow ended up in yours. I didn't mean for it to happen. I just kind of woke up there. I inadvertently invaded your mind." She rushed through the words, obviously worried he'd blame her for the intrusion.</p><p>He stopped, angling her to face him. "Tell me what you saw," he asked gently.</p><p>"Snoke torturing you inside your head while your body lay comatose in a hospital bed."</p><p>Ben sighed. It would be that memory she'd see. "Snoke attacked me through the Force on my eighteenth birthday. He was determined to have me for the dark side."</p><p>"But you resisted him."</p><p>"I almost gave in, mostly to stop the pain and the threats to my family. But I admit part of me wanted the power he described. I think that's why the lightsaber I eventually built turned purple."</p><p>"I saw your mother and Luke leaving to kill Snoke. Did they?"</p><p>"Yes." His head tilted, brow furrowing. "I could never figure out how my uncle knew about Snoke. I'd never told him about the voice in my head, which had disappeared when I told it to leave me alone at nine years old. You told him about Snoke, didn't you?"</p><p>"I told him everything I knew that could steer you off the path you originally followed. I didn't actually know about Snoke's voice in your head as a child until you told me about it, right before I got pulled back here. How did they find him?"</p><p>Ben shrugged. "I don't know how they found him and I never asked, but they did kill him. Unfortunately, they didn't come away unscathed."</p><p>Rey's eyes widened. "What happened?"</p><p>"My uncle lost his eye and my mother was run-through by a lightsaber. In his weakened state, my uncle was only able to heal her enough to keep her alive until she could get home. Alkos further healed her enough to stop the internal bleeding, but the amount of damage was so great she still needed surgery. She lost a kidney, her spleen, and was told she'd never have any more children. I've struggled with guilt for so long over what happened to them for my sake."</p><p>Rey stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. "That wasn't your fault. That was Snoke."</p><p>"I know," he whispered. He embraced her, burying his nose in her hair. Her scent intoxicated him. Her breath tickled his neck. His heart thudded inside his chest as his crept down her back. He wanted to experience more of her, a forbidden desire.</p><p>The tripwire flew out of nowhere, wrapping sharply around his and Rey's legs. Rey cried out as they lost their balance.</p><p>Ben couldn't stop the fall without the use of his legs, but he angled himself so Rey would fall on top of him rather than the other way around. The ground came up fast and hard on his back and Rey landed on this chest. The combination knocked the breath out of him. He gasped for air.</p><p>Hands from above grabbed at Rey, lifting her off him as the rope binding them was cut. He sees hand shove a bag over her head.</p><p>Panic</p><p>"Kill that Jedi! Get that sedative into the girl!" A craggy voice yelled.</p><p>Despite barely catching his breath, Ben's training kicked in. He sat up, his arm out to rip the bag off Rey's head using the Force.</p><p>Rey wriggled her arm away from one of her captors just in time to Force knock the shot full of sedative out of his hand.</p><p>Ben rolled quickly to his feet, dodging the blaster shot that hit the ground right where he'd been sitting. He unclipped his lightsaber, igniting the blade in the growing darkness. Purple light illuminated five assailants surrounding them.</p><p>Rey slammed her elbow into the man holding her from behind and danced away as he doubled over. Her hand hit her hip, and Ben realized she reached for a lightsaber that wasn't there. He'd seen her yellow lightsaber in her memories, but now it didn't exist.</p><p>He had to look away as the guy with the blaster unloaded on him. He deftly maneuvered his lightsaber, deflecting every blast. When the charge ran out, the guy whipped out a knife and lunged at Ben. Dumb move. Ben slashed him with the lightsaber, dropping him dead to the ground.</p><p>Another guy flew through the air past him, crashing against a wall, and slumping into unconsciousness. He glanced back at Rey, smirking as she pulled another one of them over her shoulder.</p><p>Unfortunately, it distracted him for a moment too long. A hulking figure slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. His lightsaber sailed out of his hand and skittered across the street. A huge hand closed around his throat and hefted him up in the air. He came face to face with an angry Devaronian.</p><p>Ben knew he was fairly large for a human. He often used his superior height to his advantage. So when this massive being lifted him off his feet, it took him aback for a moment.</p><p>The red-faced, black-horned alien growled at him. His breath smelled rancid, making Ben cringe.</p><p>Sticking one hand out to call his lightsaber back, he used his other hand to try to dislodged the thick fingers from around his throat. The irony of him being choked now and him Force-choking Plutt earlier that day was not lost on him. He lashed out with his foot, connecting with the creature's middle. It was like connecting with a brick wall.</p><p>The Devaronian barely winced. In retaliation, he smashed Ben to the ground.</p><p>Pain lanced up Ben's back and he hoped nothing had been broken. He gritted his teeth and doubled his Force effort. Finally the lightsaber landed in his hand. As the Devaronian leaned down to snatch him back up again, Ben ignited it. His would be assassin couldn't stop his forward motion in time. The purple blade pierced through his body as he impaled himself.</p><p>The Devaronian's eyes widened then rolled back into his head. He let out a deep groan as his hands fumbled near his wound.</p><p>Ben extinguished the blade and tried to scramble out of the way. He moved a little too slow. The giant Devaronian landed on top of him. With a huff of frustration, Ben threw the body off him using the Force. His strength sent the dead alien halfway down the street.</p><p>Before Ben could do anything more than sit up, he heard Rey screaming from behind him.</p><p>"Nooooo!!"</p><p>Ben whipped his head around in time to see Rey's arm lash out. Blue lightning erupted from her hand. The crackling electricity spiked through the air. Ben rocked back from the overwhelming force of it.</p><p>It struck one of the attackers who'd climbed up on a balcony across the street. His blaster had been aimed right at Ben. The man convulsed as the lightning spread over his body. Then it was gone. He wavered on his feet, hit the railing and toppled over it. He got lucky falling into a wagon of grass bedding.</p><p>Surprise</p><p>Rey stared at her hand, mouth gaping. She must not have realized what she was doing.</p><p>The slightest flash of one of Rey’s memories surfaced in his head. Rey standing in the desert, blue lightning exploding from her hand and striking a shuttle attempting to leave the planet. The shuttle blew up in a surge fire and smoke. This wasn’t the first time she’d used the lightning.</p><p>"Rey?" Ben asked, hearing the confusion in his own voice. Never had he seen Force lightning, only ever heard of it being used by the Sith. By Emperor Palpatine.<br/>His eyes met hers.</p><p>Alarm</p><p>"Ben, I can explain." She reached for him. Then she cried out and grabbed at her side, her face going pale. Blood squeezed out between her fingers, dripping on the ground. She stumbled, almost falling.</p><p>Panic seized him at seeing Rey's blood. Ben leapt to his feet and lifted her in his arms before she could hit the ground. She clung to him with one hand while the other still pressed at her wound. He weaved around the four dead bodies littering the street and took off for the ship. While he ran, he pulled the comm unit free.</p><p>"Alkos!"</p><p>A cranky voice answered. "You better be calling to tell me dinner's ready because I am starving!"</p><p>Ben wanted to Force choke him. "We just got attacked, two blocks north and one block east. Rey's hurt. I'm bringing her back to the ship for healing in case there's anymore of them looking for us. Get the local authorities to take care of the dead ones, but there's one I'm fairly sure is still alive. We left him in a wagon. I want him."</p><p>"You got it, Boss. I'll take the speeder." The comm unit disconnected.</p><p>Ben ran, disturbed to see more blood seeping through Rey's fingers. Half of her white shirt was now stained red. He used the Force to speed his steps. Rey wasn't going to die in his arms.</p><p>The speeder flashed past, Alkos nodding his head at Ben. Ben trusted Alkos would secure the scene and bring back the man Rey had hit with lightning. Unlikely the local authorities would give Alkos a problem, if they even bothered to show up before he left to return to the ship. Ben had the impression the local authorities were as incompetent as they were corrupt.</p><p>He finally reached the ship and silently thanked Alkos for leaving the ramp down. He clambered up it and ran right to the med bay. Gently, he laid Rey down on the bunk to the side.</p><p>She winced in pain. Her pale skin gleamed with sweat. She squirmed as he pressed a thick bandage to the wound to stem the bleeding.</p><p>"Rey, I'm going to heal you. I just need you to sit still."</p><p>"No!" she screamed and pushed him away. "Just use some bacta spray on it!"</p><p>"Bacta spray isn't going to stop that level of bleeding! And you'll still need to recuperate for days after that. You won't need that if you let me heal you. I've done this a lot. I promise it won't hurt." He stepped back to her.</p><p>She pushed him away again and tried to crawl off the bunk. She openly wept now.</p><p>"Rey, stop! You're making it bleed more!" He couldn't understand what was wrong.</p><p>Then she turned and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into her. She sobbed heavily into his shoulder. "You can't leave me again! You can't!"</p><p>He suddenly realized that the last thing his other self had done before dying had been to heal her back to life. His hands went to either side of her head, forcing her to look at him. "Listen, please! I'm not going to leave you. I will never leave you." Even as he said it, he knew it to be true. This woman had touched every fiber of his being and he would forever be by her side.</p><p>Her eyes remained down with tears flowing from them. She shook her head inside his hands.</p><p>He blew out a breath. He didn't like doing it, but he searched through her memories inside his head, trying to find something to help him convince her before she bled out. Then he found it. "Rey, look at me."</p><p>It took a moment, but her eyes rose to his.</p><p>"Do you remember when we fought on the ruins of the Death Star? You impaled me with my own lightsaber."</p><p>She stilled.</p><p>"You healed me. In that place, alone, it would have been a mortal wound. But you healed me, and then you stole my ship." He paused before continuing. "I am healthy, and strong, and have not been drained of my life force. Let me heal you, and I promise, I. will. not. leave. you."</p><p>Finally, she gave him the slightest nod and lay back on the bunk.</p><p>He laid his hands on her wound, suppressing a shudder. Usually gushing blood didn't bother him. He'd done a lot of healing, sometimes on grotesque wounds that would have been fatal otherwise. He could only conclude it was because this time it was Rey’s blood.</p><p>Concentrating, he examined the wound through the Force. The knife had ripped through several muscles, severed one of the arteries and nicked the edge of her hip bone. Thankfully, it didn't penetrate into her abdomen. He meticulously mended all of the torn flesh and bone. Once fixed, he sent an extra signal to stimulate her bone marrow to produce more red blood cells faster. It was a trick he'd figured out to speed recovery time.</p><p>As he sent that last signal, Rey drew in a sharp breath. Then she moaned quite loudly.</p><p>Ben frowned. For one moment, he worried he'd inadvertently caused her pain. Then it hit him, hard.</p><p>Arousal</p><p>His body responded instinctively to her response. His heart raced and heat pooled in his lower abdomen. Muscles tensed, his fingers gripping the edge of the bunk. He desperately clung there, fighting his base urges.</p><p>She stared at him. Then just the tip of her tongue licked her lips.</p><p>It set him off. He couldn’t control himself any longer. His lips crashed into hers. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him down on top of her as she lay on the med bunk. Their mouths moved together, the scraping of their lips creating a delicious friction that shot fire through his body.</p><p>"Umm, Ben? Rey?"</p><p>Alkos' voice from the doorway broke them apart.</p><p>Ben cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. Heat spread over his face. How embarrassing for his friend to find him like that. Yet, all he wanted to do was go back to kissing her.</p><p>Rey remained laying on the bunk, her eyes buried in the crook of her arm.</p><p>"I've got that guy you wanted. Still unconscious." His blue-haired friend hooked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing down the hall.</p><p>"Right!" Ben had almost forgotten about that in the heat of the moment with Rey. He followed behind Alkos and he heard Rey slip off the bunk to follow along behind him.</p><p>They stopped in front of the door to the lone holding cell on the ship. Ben opened it, revealing a dirty, bearded man in shabby clothing. He lay slumped on the bed, his mouth open and drooling on the blanket.</p><p>Rey pointed at him through the doorway. "I'm sure he's one of the thugs Unkar Plutt uses. He's here to drag me back to Niima Outpost. It's a day earlier than I thought, but he always says I am his best scavenger."</p><p>"Unlikely it was Unkar Plutt. Not after what I did to him." Ben pulled the pad out of his pocket and handed it to Rey.</p><p>Rey examined it closely.</p><p>Shock</p><p>She looked back up at Ben. "You bought me?"</p><p>Ben disliked how that sounded, like she were his slave now. "No! I bought your freedom. You'd never have to worry about anyone ever coming after you."</p><p>She stared at him for a moment in awe. Her voice choked with emotion. "Oh, Ben, that's the kindest thing anyone's ever done for me." Tears welled up in her eyes, but before she started crying, she took a deep breath and blinked them away. Her voice steadied. "If you frightened him, he wouldn't have sent anyone. Plutt is a coward at heart. Plus, I've never seen anyone as high priced as a Devaronian working as a thug for him."</p><p>"So back to the original question: who is this guy and why was he after you?" Alkos asked.</p><p>"Let's find out." Ben crossed the threshold into the cell. "Wake up," he simply said. Force suggestion laced his words.</p><p>The man stirred. He squeezed his eyes shut and smacked his lips before opening them. Then, as if realizing he wasn't waking up in his own bed, he snapped upright. He leaned away from Ben’s imposing figure. Then his eyes fell on Rey. "You electrocuted me."</p><p>"What?" Alkos glanced at Rey.</p><p>"We'll deal with that later," Ben answered quickly then turned his attention back to their prisoner. "Why were you after her?"</p><p>"She's got a bounty on her head."</p><p>This disturbed Ben very much. "Why?"</p><p>The man shrugged. "Don't care why. She's worth twenty thousand credits dead and eighty thousand credits alive."</p><p>It was Ben's turn to be shocked. He looked at Rey. "That's a lot of credits."</p><p>Fear</p><p>Her face had gone pale again. "It's him. He's looking for me. He knows I'm here!" She backed away from the doorway and took off down the hall.</p><p>Ben ran after her. "Secure him," he directed Alkos as he passed by him. He caught up with Rey in the living area. "Rey!"</p><p>She whirled around. "I have to get out of here before he kills you again!" she screamed.</p><p>Ben wracked his brain and suddenly realized who she spoke about. "The Emperor?"</p><p>"He's still alive here!"</p><p>"If you call what I saw alive," Ben scoffed. "Why would he be looking for you, willing to spend so much money to get you alive? Is this connected to the lightning?"</p><p>She didn't answer, but now the tears she’d held back before came with a vengeance.</p><p>Ben stepped forward to gather her in his arms, but she backed away from him. She held up her hand to keep him from coming closer.</p><p>Alkos paused in the doorway. “What’s going on?”</p><p>Rey took a breath. "Does he know? About you and Darth Vader?"</p><p>Ben blinked. Where did that come from? "That I'm his grandson? Yes, Alkos knows."</p><p>"Do all the Jedi know?"</p><p>"No, very few people know that. Alkos I trust."</p><p>Rey nodded. Tears flowed freely. "If you trust him with that, then I trust him as well.” She took a deep breath and almost seemed to be fighting with herself as she said the next words. “I am the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine."</p><p>Shame</p><p>A/N: Wow, that was a long one! There just wasn't a good spot to split it up into two chapters. Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for reading and your comments are so appreciated!</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Eleven – Rey</p><p>Rey wiped the last of her tears off her face as she walked down the hallway. Ben's arm draped over her shoulder protectively, and she loved how safe it made her feel. He'd assured her he didn't care about her lineage, admitting it would be hypocritical considering his own lineage.</p><p>They'd decided to leave immediately. With a price of that magnitude on Rey's head, being on such a lawless planet as Jakku put her in more danger. Alkos offered to take the first shift piloting, promising Ben he'd wake him for the second half of the journey.</p><p>Their kiss, so filled with passion and need, popped into her head. A blush graced her cheeks. When he'd healed her, he'd finished by sending some kind of tickling into her bones. Then it traveled straight down into her core. She'd almost orgasmed right there. He'd looked surprised, so it hadn't been anything deliberate. But the way he'd responded set her on fire. She could still feel that fire burning inside her.</p><p>Stopping in front of the room Alkos had given Rey earlier, Rey desperately wanted Ben to stay with her. She'd shared all of her secrets with him and found no reason to keep any distance from him now.</p><p>Stretching up on her tippy toes, she pressed her lips to his. It wasn't the same heated kiss from before, more of an invitation. An invitation he accepted.</p><p>As she drew away, he leaned down, capturing her lips with his again. Without breaking the kiss, he reached behind her to open the door. They practically tumbled inside and the door slid closed behind them. Then, in one swift move, he spun her around and pressed her against the closed door.</p><p>Rey moaned as his tongue licked at her lips, invading her mouth. Her tongue danced with his. That burning fire inside her blazed hot. Her hands burrowed in his hair, that lush dark hair of his. He was so close, but not close enough. She dragged her leg up his and hooked her foot behind his thigh. Then she pushed him into her.  She relished the pressure of his hard body against hers.</p><p>His mouth left hers and trailed kissed along her jawline to her neck. She turned her neck to give him better access. Her breath lodged in her throat as he nipped the delicate flesh there. She could feel his mouth against his skin before he started licking and kissing her neck again.</p><p>Rey untangled her fingers from his hair and pulled the hem of his shirt out of his pants. She ran her hands up his stomach to his chest underneath the cloth.</p><p>He gasped. Then he froze.</p><p>Awareness</p><p>Rey froze as well, sensing something had changed within him.</p><p>He took a step away from her. "I should go." His eyes seemed to look everywhere but at her.</p><p>A chill swept through her, a cold hand gripping her heart. "You...you don't want me?"</p><p>His eyes finally steadied, locking with hers. "I ache for you, Rey."</p><p>Her spirits soared hearing his words. "Me too." She smiled and reached for him.</p><p>He shook his head and took another step back. "I can't."</p><p>"Why?" Her hands clenched into fists, fighting the tears from returning.</p><p>He looked up at the ceiling, sighing loudly. "I'm going to leave the Jedi Order."</p><p>Rey rocked back as if he'd slapped her. He'd worked so hard to be a Jedi, defeated Snoke's attacks on him. "Why?" she asked again.</p><p>"Because I'm in love you, Rey! I've been in love with you since I was nine years old. I don't know what you saw when you went into my memory, but images of you kept me from bowing down to Snoke. And I wanted to bow down to him, but not if it meant losing you. No other woman could ever compare to you. It made that vow of celibacy very easy. But you're here now, you came back to me. I will never leave your side."</p><p>Rey's heart fluttered at his admission of love. She couldn't believe how the four days she'd spent in his childhood had shaped his entire life. Her original thought that he wouldn't remember her now seemed so absurd. "I'd never ask you to give up being a Jedi."</p><p>"I know. But you mean more to me than being a Jedi does. The vow of celibacy isn't just about intimacy. It means I can never marry, never father children. It demands total loyalty to the Jedi, and I can't give them that anymore. But I can't break that vow before renouncing it directly to Master Skywalker. You have your freedom. I just ask you give me a little more time until I have mine." His eyes begged her for understanding.</p><p>She smiled, nodding. "I've waited two years for you. I can wait a little longer." He moved to walk around her to the door, but she couldn't bear to be alone. "But can we sleep together. Just sleep, nothing else. I don't want to be alone."</p><p>He groaned, but there was a smile on his lips. "You're gonna kill me, Rey! Alright, but we're going back to my room. I'd barely fit on this bed by myself, let along with both of us."</p><p>Rey clapped, so happy at her victory. She followed him back to his room down the corridor. They settled into his bed, backs pressed together.</p><p>Before she drifted off, Rey mumbled, "I'm in love with you too, Ben."</p><p>Joy</p><p>Love</p><p>They fell asleep.</p><p>She'd never slept so well as when she lay beside Ben. No nightmares plagued her. She barely heard him leave to take the second shift, although she swore she heard Alkos get punched for a snide comment about finding her in Ben's bed. When he left, she rolled into the spot he'd vacated, absorbing in his linger heat and scent. It put her right back to sleep.</p><p>He woke her in the morning with a fresh cup of caff.</p><p>"I could really get used to this kind of service," she greeted him, hungrily grabbing the travel mug.</p><p>He laughed and sipped from his own travel mug. "Next time you have to bring me caff in bed."</p><p>She threw a pillow at him, laughing.</p><p>He ducked but still got hit. "You'd better get up. We're landing soon. I pulled out some spare clothes that should fit you. They're in the refresher." He kissed her on the cheek and left the room.</p><p>With the excitement of her impending reunion with Master Skywalker, Rey rushed through her shower and pulled on her clothes. They'd obviously been made for a woman, although the pants were a little short, ending halfway up her calves. She appraised herself in the mirror. She looked just like a Jedi. She couldn't help admit disappointment that this particular dream wouldn't come to fruition. But if the Jedi made her chose between them and Ben, she'd pick Ben every time.</p><p>The ship jostled as it entered the atmosphere. She steadied herself on the desk chair, then quickly tied her hair up in one bun instead of her usual three. It would have taken too much time. Then she ran out of the room up to the cockpit.</p><p>Ben sat in the pilot's seat and Alkos in the co-pilot seat. Ben seemed to be concentrating on the controls.</p><p>"You might want to strap in," Alkos called back to her. "Looks like there's a wind storm brewing down there. May get bumpy."</p><p>Rey strapped in to the seat behind him. The ship rattled and shook as Ben fought with the controls. Finally, they set down on the planet with a firm bump.</p><p>Following behind the other two down the ramp, Rey almost fell over as a strong gust of wind battered at them. It tried to rip the hair out of the bun, but failed. Good thing she put it up. She marveled at Ben for being able to even land in this level of wind. She knew he was a good pilot, but this proved just how good he was. She'd have had trouble landing in this.</p><p>Master Skywalker beckoned them from the main door of the temple. Nobody else could be seen, presumably hunkering down during the storm.</p><p>Alkos yelled he had to check on something and took off in the other direction.</p><p>Ben grabbed Rey's hand and they ran into the temple. A gust of wind followed them in, roaring through the building.</p><p>Luke shoved the door closed, cutting off the wildness of the outside. Then he turned and measured Rey with his eye. "Do you know me?"</p><p>Rey smiled. He was testing her. The scar running through his missing eye was certainly different than when last she saw him, but he was still Luke. "Yes, Master Skywalker. I feel like I was just here yesterday. Well, it was actually three days ago."</p><p>Luke hooted with happiness.</p><p>Ben, who still held her hand, startled beside her. Obviously, he wasn't used to his master displaying such emotion.</p><p>Rey squeezed his hand, then let go as Luke approached her with open arms.</p><p>With a huge smile on his face, Luke captured Rey in an embrace. "I'm so glad to see you!" He guided them into his private office and indicated them to sit. She took the seat next to Ben and opposite Luke. "I really wasn't sure you were going to come back to us, Rey. And if you did come back, I wasn't sure you'd remember what happened."</p><p>"I wasn't sure about that either, but I do remember." Rey leaned forward, covering Luke's hand. "Thank you, Luke, for putting me to sleep before traveling. I didn't feel anything on the trip back."</p><p>"Rey, you'd said it felt like it was tearing you apart when you traveled, right?"</p><p>"Yes," she whispered, cringing at the memory of the pain.</p><p>Luke shook his head in amazement as he replied. "It did tear you apart. I watched it happen right here. It was one of the most horrific things I've ever seen. I don't know how you survived it."</p><p>Rey shrugged. "I don't know either. Maybe it's why the device was lost." She glanced at Ben, giving him a tiny smile. "But it worked."</p><p>Anger</p><p>Rey's eyes flew back to Ben.</p><p>He clenched his jaw, not looking at her.</p><p>"Are you mad at me?" she asked, incredulous.</p><p>"No!" He snapped. "Not at you! At him- me- Ben Solo in whatever reality! I'm mad you had to experience that for me."</p><p>"Oh, Ben. Don't you see it was worth it?" Rey wanted to crawl into his lap and kiss his anger at himself away.</p><p>"Is there something else, Ben?" Master Skywalker looked at him pointedly.</p><p>Ben pursed his lips then sighed. "I force-choked someone yesterday."</p><p>Luke's eyebrows went up.</p><p>Rey remembered back to that flash of rage, quickly followed by shame, when he'd been gone yesterday. When he'd been buying her freedom from Plutt. She turned to Luke. "If it was Plutt, it's totally understandable. He's an infuriating Crolite."</p><p>Luke looked back at Ben. "Was it him?"</p><p>"Yes, Master. He..." Ben paused, licking his lips. "He said something inappropriate about Rey."</p><p>"Do you need to work it off?" Luke asked.</p><p>Ben sat there for a moment, his mouth moving as he debated. "Yes." He walked out of the room.</p><p>Rey moved to follow him but Luke stopped her.</p><p>"He'll be right back. Ben has very strong emotions, especially anger. We've been working on his control, but sometimes he just needs to punch something. Any idea what this Plutt could have said that would have triggered him?"</p><p>"I don't know if Ben told you, but Plutt is the scavenger master. Ben technically went there to buy my freedom, although it was before I told him everything else. I do remember Plutt threatening to sell me to the sex slavers a couple of years before I left. Maybe Plutt used that to drive my price up."</p><p>Luke stared at her for a beat before answering. "I could see how that would send him into a rage."</p><p>Ben walked back in the room. The knuckles on his right hand had just a faint redness to them. "Sorry," he said in a quiet voice. Then he cleared his throat. "There's something else."</p><p>Luke held his hand up, motioning for Ben to continue.</p><p>"I'm leaving the Jedi order."</p><p>"No."</p><p>Ben stood up abruptly. "Master!"</p><p>"Sit down." Steel laced his tone. "I know what you're thinking. You want to be with Rey, in all ways, and you don't think the Jedi Order would allow it."</p><p>Ben sat down. "Yes."</p><p>"But the Force wants you to be together. You are a Force Dyad, two that are one. The Jedi have no right to keep you apart. I don't see any reason why you can't both be Jedi and be together."</p><p>Rey squealed, then clamped her hand over her mouth. Luke was giving her everything she'd ever wanted! A chance to be with Ben as well as become a true Jedi.</p><p>Ben smiled. "Thank you, Master. You are wise."</p><p>Luke chuckled. "Depends on the day. Anything else to report?"</p><p>Rey's heart sank at the final piece of information they had to share with him. "One more thing."</p><p>Luke's head tilted. "Yes?"</p><p>Speaking up, Ben took the burden off Rey. "We discovered there’s a very large bounty on Rey's head. We think it's the Emperor."</p><p>"The Emperor!" Luke knocked over his chair as he jumped out of it. "No. Rey, I know you said he came back, and you and Ben had to defeat him on Exegol, but I went to Exegol. It was empty, nothing but ruins."</p><p>Frowning, Ben asked, "When did you go to Exegol?"</p><p>"Not long after your mother and I killed Snoke, who was just an extension of Palpatine according to Rey."</p><p>Rey stomach clenched. "I don't know if they aren't there now because of what I've changed or he was just hiding. But he's the only person in the galaxy who'd put a price on my head."</p><p>Luke squinted at her. "Why your head, Rey? Ben was the one he was targeting before."</p><p>Shame coursed through her. She bent over, hugging her knees, and closed her eyes. Tears leaked out, dripping on the carpet. "I didn't tell you everything before," she answered in a broken voice.</p><p>Ben's hand rubbed her back. "Rey is the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine."</p><p>A sob erupted from her throat. Hearing those words spoken out loud by Ben almost made it worse.</p><p>“I see,” Luke commented.</p><p>Ben continued explaining even as the heat of his hand moving on her back soothed her. "Rey's parents sold her into slavery on Jakku to hide her from him. He must have sensed her power, even as a young child. Somehow he's discovered she's alive and with me." Even though she'd never explicitly told him this, Ben had obviously put all the pieces together.</p><p>Rey's eyes opened as she felt Luke's hands on her knees. He knelt down in front of her.</p><p>"We can protect you now, Rey. You're one of us. We'll never let him take you," Luke assured her.</p><p>Rey cried more hearing his words of love and acceptance.</p><p>A/N: Super exciting news that I am sharing with the entire world!! I wrote a book that was published last year by a tiny press. It's a western horror romance, and I just found out that it's going to appears in a horror movie! My amazing publisher got it into the hands of the actress and it's already been filmed in the movie. She even sent me screen shots of it! I'm not allowed to say anything about the movie, only that it has already been optioned by Netflix and Hulu and will be announced in August. Yay!</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>WARNING!! WARNING!! THIS CHAPTER IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT! I HAD TO CHANGE THE RATING ON THIS. SKIP THIS CHAPTER IF THAT ISN'T YOUR THING!</p><p>Chapter Twelve – Ben</p><p>Ben kept his arm around Rey protectively as they ran through the windstorm to his hut. The gales tore at them, catching their robes and billowing them up around them. He wrenched open the door and Rey rushed inside. He struggled to close the door, slamming it shut against the raging elements. This level of wind didn't happen often, but they disrupted everything when they stirred up.</p><p>"Are you sure this hut isn't going to blow away?" She glanced around skeptically.</p><p>"It's sturdier than it looks," Ben assured her.</p><p>Rey sat down on his bed, looking up at him. A small smile graced her lips.</p><p>Ben suppressed the nervousness trying to well up inside him. He knew Rey would sense it and he didn't want to her to think him foolish. Master Skywalker had blessed their union, practically encouraged him to bed her. Rey had already made her intentions very clear, but he didn't want to rush things. To just throw her down and take her seemed crude. He wanted to make her feel special. Plus, he didn't exactly know what the hell he was doing in this situation. The men in the few holopornos he'd seen always looked so in control and skilled.</p><p>A thought occurred to him. "You didn't get to eat anything before we landed. You must be hungry. I've got some ration bars here, or I can scrounge something up from the kitchen."</p><p>Rey's smile widened. "Oh, yes! Very hungry!" Her stomach made a cranky noise in agreement. She giggled, music to Ben's ears. "The ration bars are fine."</p><p>He handed her one and ripped open one for himself as he sat down at his desk.</p><p>"Mmmm! These ration bars are so much better than the ones on Jakku." She woofed it down.</p><p>"Another?"</p><p>She nodded enthusiastically.</p><p>Ben laughed, handing her another bar. "I can't wait to feed you real food. When we get to Naboo tomorrow, I'm going to amaze your taste buds."</p><p>Her eyebrows shot up. "We're going to Naboo tomorrow?" she asked around a mouthful of bar.</p><p>"Yes. My father is picking us up to go to Mirie's concert. Of course, he doesn't know you'll be coming along, but he'll love you. He never understood the vow of celibacy thing so I fear he's going to be on his worst behavior concerning us. Try not to get offended."</p><p>"I remember Han. I can take it." </p><p>Ben pushed the image of his father's murder out of his head. He refused to let her memory from before intrude. He never murdered his father. His father was just fine. Instead, he said, "We may have to convince my uncle to come with us though. He's so reluctant to leave the temple, which I understand, but Mirie was so disappointed last time the family got together for one of her concerts and he wasn't there."</p><p>"Luke did promise to help protect me from Palpatine. Perhaps that will be enough persuasion?" Rey offered.</p><p>"Maybe. I'd hate to see my father try to wrestle Master Skywalker onto the Falcon. Mirie has always been Daddy’s little princess and he hates to see her disappointed. But my uncle could have my father hanging by his boots if he doesn't want to go."</p><p>Rey giggled again at such an image of Han Solo on floating upside down in thin air. Then she tossed her ration wrappers in the waste bin by the desk and kicked off her shoes. She laid down on his bed, stretching her body out. "These beds are spoiling me. Like sleeping on a cloud. How will I sleep in a barn again after this?"</p><p>"I don't intend for you to ever sleep in a barn again." Ben couldn't take his eyes off her as she ran her hands over smooth sheets. Warmth spread through him as the nervousness dropped away.</p><p>Rey rolled on her side. Her eyes traveled over his body before locking on his eyes. Her gaze smoldered.</p><p>Want</p><p>"Kiss me, Ben."</p><p>Her wish was his command. He crawled up on the bed beside her, leaning over her to capture her lips with his own. Kissing her felt good. It felt right.</p><p>The enormity of the situation blew his mind. This was Rey! The same Rey who enchanted him as a child, who saved him from a life on the dark side. The woman he fantasized about as a teenager. He honestly never thought he’d see her again after so many years, forcing himself to be content with just her memory, but it was never really enough. Having her here, kissing her even, was more than he’d ever dreamed.</p><p>Rey's fingers slid into his hair, lightly scraping along his scalp. She opened her mouth, deepening the kiss. A little moan escaped her.</p><p>The sound drove him crazy. He slid his tongue against hers as he explored her mouth. Kriff, she tasted so amazing! The warmth enveloping his body settled in his lower abdomen and his body responded to her touch.</p><p>He broke away from her mouth, needing to taste more of her. He kissed down her jawline and along her neck. The throbbing beat of her pulse in her neck fascinated him. He licked her skin there and smiled as it sped up. Then he gently scrapped his teeth along her flesh, making it leap in concert with her gasping.</p><p>"Ben, take off your shirt."</p><p>He hated to leave her neck, but he obeyed her command. He shrugged off the Jedi robe and tossed it on the floor. Then in one swift motion, he pulled the vest and shirt over his head.</p><p>Rey's fingers slid down his chest, caressing him.</p><p>The sensation sent shivers of lust down his spine. His pants grew increasingly tight.</p><p>When she licked her lips, he couldn't stand it anymore. He had to taste her again. His mouth found hers and he kissed her hard. </p><p>Then her leg whipped around his hip, pushing him on top of her. He marveled at her flexibility even as he made sure to support his weight on his arms to keep from crushing her. Her other leg wrapped around the other side of him and she pushed his pelvis down against her center. In an instant, his shaft hardened almost painfully. He moaned into her mouth.</p><p>Her hand undid his belt then slipped inside his pants. He made a strangled cry as she wrapped her fingers around him and moved against him. The exquisite friction almost had him coming in his pants.</p><p>"Wait," he managed to breathe out.</p><p>She startled. A blush reddened her cheeks. "I was doing it wrong, wasn't I?" She withdrew her hand.</p><p>Dismay</p><p>"No! Exactly the opposite. I just don't want to finish to soon. I want to take my time pleasuring you."</p><p>Her cheeks reddened further. "Oh, okay."</p><p>Her look of innocence fascinated him, conveying to him her inexperience most likely rivaled his own. It boosted his confidence. He leaned down, whispering in her ear. "Let me undress you."</p><p>She hesitated, then nodded.</p><p>He sucked her ear lobe into his mouth, eliciting a squeal of delight. Then he pulled away from her, going down to the bottom of the bed. He removed her socks and caressed her feet, then applied more pressure to massage them. Starting on the left, he used the pads of his fingers to press concentric circles into her muscles. He moved from her arch to her heel then up to the balls of her foot. He finished by lightly pulling on each of her toes. Then he switched to the right.</p><p>Rey moaned. "How can someone touching my feet feel so good?"</p><p>Ben smiled, but remained silent. He worked his way up her legs, massaging her ankles, calves, thighs. When he reached her waist, he hooked his fingers under the waistband of her pants. He looked up at her for permission.<br/>She gave the slightest nod.</p><p>He ripped her pants off her legs, leaving her underwear in place.</p><p>She giggled, drawing her legs up as the air suddenly hit them.</p><p>Her laughter made him crave her mouth. It had been too many minutes since he'd kissed her. He climbed back on the bed, initiating another make-out session.</p><p>As he kissed her, and she kissed him back enthusiastically, touched the skin at her waist, slipping his hand under her shirt.</p><p>She jumped a little, but didn't stop kissing him.</p><p>Ben wrapped his hands around her back and slowly sat her up. His hands continued to move up, bringing her shirt up with them. He positioned her arms up over her head and reluctantly broke apart from her. Then he lifted her shirt over her head.</p><p>She shivered, a delightful tremble coursing through her body.</p><p>He kissed her shoulder and ran his hands over her arms, warding away the goosebumps. He found the band restraining her hair and gently tugged it away, letting her chestnut brown tresses flow down her back. How he loved her hair down! He leaned into her, burying his face in her locks and breathing deeply before pulling back again.</p><p>Only her breast band remained. He unwound it, getting more excited as each layer dropped away. Then it was gone.</p><p>She laid down again, and he basked in all the glory that was Rey. Only one scrap of cloth hid her last secret.</p><p>Then something changed. Rey withdrew slightly. Her eyes darted away from his, her smile changing to a grimace. Her arms crept up over her breasts, hands wrapping around her upper arms.</p><p> Exposure</p><p>            He blinked, not understanding. Had he done something wrong? "Rey? Tell me."</p><p>Her eyes didn't meet his. "When I was inside your memory, I saw... myself. But it wasn't really me. I was so much more beautiful there than I really am. You may not like what you see." Her voice was small.</p><p>"Oh, Rey." His heart broke for her. "That was the fantasy of an eighteen-year-old boy struggling to survive. But I don't want fantasies anymore. I want you. The real you. I love you, even your scars and lineage, all of you."</p><p>She bit her lip, her eyes rising to his. She searched his face for any trace of untruth. Finding none, she nodded. "Make me yours in every way."</p><p>His eyes widened as he realized how serious she was to have him. It stoked the fire burning within him. Using the Force, he ripped that last remaining cloth off her body. Then he jumped off the bed, discarded his own pants and stood before her, fully erect.</p><p>She beckoned him with a look of pure hunger and he complied. Her hands wrapped around his neck as he climbed back on the bed. Their lips met, passion and heat.</p><p>His hand cupped her breast and his thumb grazed the nipple. It hardened, which fascinated him. He needed to taste. His mouth broke away from hers and took the nipple inside.</p><p>His tongue swirled around it.</p><p>Rey moaned, lifting her chest further into him.</p><p>The noises spurred him on. He switched to the other breast, loving how he made that nipple harden in his mouth. His other hand wandered over her body, down her back to her ass. Her thighs clenched hard together. He wondered what that was about.</p><p>Her hand touched his hand, just a brush at first. Then she guided his hand around from her backside to her front. Her thighs unclenched and parted.</p><p>Ben almost hyperventilated. Rey's most inner secret. He desperately wanted to touch her, but he wanted to do it right. He racked his head for guidance. The damned holopornos always seemed to skip to the final act.</p><p>But Alkos knew! His best friend had gone through a wild phase before taking the oath, bedding more women than Ben even knew about. He'd told Ben there existed a spot between a woman's legs that can make her scream in pleasure. Ben had pushed such information out of his head before, figuring he'd never need it. But now...</p><p>His hand brushed over the crisp curls covering her womanhood.</p><p>She opened her legs wider for him. "Yes," she whispered.</p><p>He grew bolder, exploring deeper. He found her opening, slipping a finger inside. The sensation of her muscles tightening around him almost had him losing control.<br/>She gasped, but she didn't scream. Even though she liked this, it wasn't the right spot.<br/>He withdrew his finger, stroking upwards.</p><p>Her entire body jerked, a strangled cry ripping from her throat.</p><p>Oh, yes. This was the spot. He stroked again.</p><p>Rey screamed. "There, Ben! Yes, there!"</p><p>He couldn't help but to smile. He continued stroking, loving the feel of her writhing under him. His manhood hardened to an almost painful level, but he didn't care. This was for her, for all she'd done for him. Everything he did from now on would be for her.<br/>Her hand gripped his shoulder, fingernails digging into his skin. She panted, then held her breath as her back arched. Objects around the room rattled in place. Then she finally screamed fully.</p><p>Ben took his hand away from her core, but held her against him as she came down from the high. As her body stilled and breathing returned to normal, Ben asked viciously, "Did I do it right?"</p><p>Rey laughed breathlessly. "Obviously, you're an expert."</p><p>Pride swelled in his chest.</p><p>"But we're not done yet," she added.</p><p>He looked up, surprised. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"I told you to make me yours in every way." She kissed him again, soft and sweet.</p><p>He couldn't help but to deepen the kiss. It didn't take much for him to become rock hard again. He shifted his body, setting between her legs.</p><p>"Take me now," she commanded him.</p><p>He gripped himself and positioned himself at her entrance. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the most intimate joining with Rey. Then he pushed the tip of himself inside her.</p><p>She grimaced.</p><p>Pain</p><p>He paused, concerned. "I'm hurting you."</p><p>"It's supposed to hurt the first time," she said in a strained voice. "Keep going."</p><p>Memories that weren't his invaded his head. Him probing her unwilling mind. Them fighting in a snowy forest, him slashing at her with a wicked red lightsaber. No, he didn't like hurting her. He backed up. Shame coursed through him. He cursed his inexperience, knowing he was making a fool of himself.</p><p>Rey sat up and reached for him. "It's okay, Ben. I love you for not wanting to hurt me. But I think I have an idea. Trust me?"</p><p>"I trust you, Rey." He’d trust her with his life.</p><p>She guided him to the bed, pushing him down on his back. Then she climbed up and straddled him. She leaned down and kissed him. As her tongue explored his mouth, she began to rock her hips against him.</p><p>Ben moaned as she rubbed her core along his shaft. The delicious friction sent sparks of electricity through his body. His hands curled around her thighs, his hips matching the rhythm of hers.</p><p>Rey's skin flushed. She was close. Then, unexpectedly, she lifted her hips, grabbed his manhood and impaled herself on him. She took all of him inside her in one motion.</p><p>Pain</p><p>Pleasure</p><p>           It took every ounce of willpower not to let himself go. The sensation of being enveloped in her heated wetness almost overwhelmed him. He wanted to move inside her, but she sat frozen on top of him, eyes closed. He'd give her as much time as she needed, even if it took every ounce of self-control he possessed.</p><p>After a time, she shifted her weight slightly.</p><p>Just that tiny movement sent a wave of fire up his nerves. He inhaled sharply.</p><p>She opened her eyes and grinned down at him. She shifted again, a little more this time.</p><p>He gasped again and her grin widened. It prompted her to start moving, just a fraction of an inch at first but then more and more. Her body fell into an ancient rhythm. The smile left her face, replaced by a look of sheer concentration.</p><p>His hips rose up to meet hers, matching that rhythm. His hands crept up her thighs to her waist, savoring the feel of her curves.</p><p>She picked up the pace, riding him hard. Her flushed skin deepened in color and her chest heaved as she took faster breaths. Almost there. She was glorious to behold.</p><p>His eyes widened as he suddenly realized she glowed blue. He glanced at his hands and arms and saw he also glowed blue. He pondered for a second what that meant, hoping it to be the Force blessing this union as Master Skywalker had implied. His love for her multiplied exponentially in that moment. He’d be her slave for eternity just to be near her. He’d fulfill any wish she ever dreamed of. He’d protect her, destroy any enemy trying to visit evil upon her. His mind, body and soul belonged to her.</p><p>There wasn't much more time to think about this as Rey threw back her head, screaming his name. "Ben!" Her inner muscles spasmed around him as she reached the heights of passion.</p><p> Ecstasy</p><p>              His own release followed on the heels of her. Every muscle in his body tensed as his groin tightened. His breathing became ragged as pure rapture rushed to his head. He clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut as he spilled his seed into her.</p><p> At the same moment, the entire hut seemed to shift. Anything not anchored clattered to the floor, creating a loud racket he barely heard over the blood rushing in his ears. Even the bed made a screeching noise as it slid out of place. The echo of it reverberated around the room.</p><p> Ben opened his eyes.</p><p> Rey looked down at him, still perched on top of him. She panted heavily and her skin shone with sweat.</p><p>            Together, they smiled.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Thirteen – Rey</p><p>Ben held her hand as they strolled from his hut to the kitchen the next morning. The wind storm had wreaked havoc on the grounds. At least two trees had been ripped out of the ground, one of which was quite massive. Most of the smaller stones in the rock garden had been scattered, and fence around the vegetable garden now lay on top of the plants. The temple remained standing tall and most of the huts appeared unscathed, only a few missing sections of their roofs.</p><p>Rey smiled, loving the feel of his warm hand encompassing hers. She walked on air, her spirit so light and content. Their union had been the most perfect moment of her life. Sure, she was sore. He was very well-endowed and she'd been a virgin. But it was a good sore. A very good sore. They'd spent the rest of the day together in his hut, mostly talking, but also exploring each other and devouring the last of his stash of ration bars. They'd fallen asleep wrapped up in a tangle of limbs on his bed.</p><p>He pushed through the door to the kitchen, which sat at the back of the temple. The lights bloomed out of the darkness as they stepped inside. Several tables lined one side and Ben pointed at her to sit at the closest one. Then he seemed to perform some sort of magic, pushing buttons, opening and closing cabinets and finally walking back to her with plates full of steaming food.</p><p>Rey clapped enthusiastically. The ration bars here tasted much better than what she got on Jakku, but her stomach demanded real food. She breathed in the tantalizing smell as he placed the food in front of her.</p><p>He sat down across from her. "Hope you like it."</p><p>She didn't recognize the green and orange substance, but she dug in with relish. "Mmm," she moaned as she savored the first bite. The green stuff had a light, sweet flavor while the orange stuff tasted creamy and enhanced the texture of the green stuff. She devoured bite after bite.</p><p>Amusement</p><p>She glanced up at Ben.</p><p>He smiled at her as he chewed thoughtfully. He had only eaten half of his in comparison to her empty plate. "Glad you're enjoying that."</p><p>Before she could ask what this delicious ambrosia was called, a group of little Padawans ran into the kitchen. Alkos followed behind them.</p><p>"Hey! Did you two feel that earthquake yesterday?"</p><p>"Earthquake?" Rey didn't remember an earthquake, just the horrendous windstorm.</p><p>"Yeah, a couple hours after we got back. It happened during the windstorm, but definitely wasn't the wind. I actually felt the ground move under me. Knocked half my stuff to the floor. Everybody I talked to felt it too. Never had one of those before in all the years I've been here." Alkos's head whipped around. "Ja'en! Get out of that cupboard! You know you aren't allowed in there!"</p><p>A boy of about ten slammed the cupboard door closed, stuck out his tongue at Alkos and ran out the door.</p><p>"Grrr, that boy is getting on my nerves." He looked at the other Padawans. "Everybody have a snack they can carry?"</p><p>Little heads nodded then filed out the door.</p><p>"Have fun at the concert tonight if I don't see you before you go. Ben, say hello to Mirabella for me." Alkos winked at Ben before ducking out the door.</p><p>Ben rolled his eyes.</p><p>Rey smiled coyly. "He's got a crush on your sister."</p><p>"So does half the galaxy. Basically, anyone who's heard her sing," he grumbled. Then he paused, his face growing serious. His voice dropped to a conspiratory whisper. "You don't think we caused that earthquake, do you?"</p><p>Laughter bubbled up inside her and burst out of her mouth. The knowledge that their love resulted in an earthquake filled her with merriment. She had certainly been very moved herself during their activity.</p><p>He crooked an eyebrow at her reaction.</p><p>She laughed harder at his questioning look.</p><p>Then he cracked. It started with a little giggle and grew into a roar of laughter, joining hers.</p><p>"You two better not be laughing about that earthquake you caused yesterday!" Luke's voice echoed through the kitchen as he walked in.</p><p>Rey and Ben went silent in shock, their eyes wide at being caught. Then they looked at each other and the giggles started again.</p><p>Luke huffed as he stopped at their table, shaking his head. "Have some decency! A book fell on me during that earthquake. A heavy book!"</p><p>The giggles died out, although Rey still laughed inside.</p><p>Ben's barely suppressed smile told her he felt the same thing. "Sorry, Master."</p><p>"You younglings," Luke muttered and sat down next to Ben. "Before leaving, I did do some research on this Force Dyad prophecy. It's fairly ancient and I couldn't find much. According to the one entry I found in a Jedi text about the Sith, they claimed that two Force-Sensitive would form a unique bond that would connect them both physically and mentally through the Force. It was believed that the sheer power from that bond was equal to life itself."</p><p>Rey cringed, remembering the Emperor throwing them both to their knees and stealing their power from them to restore his hideous being.</p><p>Ben's hand closed over hers, seemingly reading her mind. "It's not going to happen here," he reassured her.</p><p>She nodded to him then looked at Luke. "This doesn't tell us anything we don't already know."</p><p>"I'm sorry. I wish I had more for you. I can keep looking but there isn't anymore information in the texts I've got here."</p><p>"The most important thing is keeping Rey safe." Ben squeezed her hand, sending little shivers through her. "You are coming to Naboo for the concert, right?"</p><p>Luke sighed. "I guess I better. I think you should have back-up in case another strike team hits you. Besides, I am a little ashamed I've never seen my niece perform. I've heard she's quite talented."</p><p>"She's incredible," Ben stated.</p><p>"Alkos has been itching to run this place while I'm gone. Force, he's been practically running the place while I'm here! It's time to let him give it a try on his own."</p><p>Ben groaned. "He'll hold it over my head forever. But he deserves it."</p><p>"Han's going to be here soon. I'm going to go tell him. Hopefully, he doesn't create an earthquake in his excitement!" Luke smirk for a moment, then left out the door.</p><p>Rey and Ben giggled again. Then Ben cleaned up from breakfast and led her outside.</p><p>Several Jedi and their Padawans worked to repair the damage from the windstorm. Rey recognized a few of them as grown-up versions of the children she had met when she'd been there before. Some squinted at her as if they had a glimmer of recognition when introduced, but none truly remembered her the way Ben and Alkos had.</p><p>They jumped in to help. Just as they finished getting the blown-down fence upright again, a twinkle in the sky caught her attention. Her breath caught in her throat as the Millennium Falcon descended into view. Her hand grabbed Ben's arm, making him look up as well.</p><p>"That old bucket of bolts is here," he muttered, although there was a grin on his face.<br/>She ran out of the garden into the big field in front of the temple. Ben ran right behind her. They stopped as the Falcon touched down in front of them.</p><p>Rey bounced on her feet in anticipation. It wasn't her ship anymore but it still meant so much to her. Despite getting to see the Millennium Falcon eight days earlier in her timeline when Han and Leia delivered nine-year-old Ben to Luke, she'd been unable to think of any excuse to get on board without looking suspicious. Now to get to ride on it with Han and Chewie again, harkening back to the first days of her escape from Jakku, had her so excited.</p><p>Ben clasped her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Just remember, they don't know you yet. They're going to love you when they get to know you again, but maybe don't hug the Wookie yet."</p><p>The bouncing deflated a bit, but she chuckled. "Good advice. I've heard about that thing he does with ripping arms off."</p><p>The ramp lowered with a hissing sound. Chewie strolled out, arms open and enveloped Ben in a bear hug. Ben was tall, but Chewie still stood a head taller.</p><p>"Hi, Chewie," Ben said, his voice muffled by all the fur pressed into his face. He took the hug in stride.</p><p>"For goodness sake, the kid's a Jedi! He's too old for those kinds of hugs, Chewie." Han stepped off the ramp.</p><p>Chewie roared in protest, but he did let go of Ben.</p><p>Han walked over to Ben with his hand out.</p><p>Ben clasped his father's hand only to be pulled into a rough hug. "Oof," Ben breathed out. "Dad, you're not as soft and cuddle as the Wookie."</p><p>Han barked out a laugh then released his son. He eyed Rey. "And who is this lovely young lady?"</p><p>Before Ben could even open his mouth, Rey stepped forward with her hand out. "Hi, I'm Rey." She couldn't keep the giant grin off her face. Eight days ago, he'd been a lot younger, the Han Solo of legend. But now he looked almost exactly the same as how he'd looked when he'd reclaimed the Millennium Falcon from her. This was the Han Solo she knew.</p><p>"Hello, Rey," Han said in a smooth voice as he took her hand. "You here to see this guy off?" He stuck his thumb out at Ben.</p><p>Ben cleared his throat. "Actually, Dad, she's coming with us."</p><p>Chewie bellowed.</p><p>Han almost choked as he turned to Ben. "You're bringing a girl home with you? A Jedi girl?"</p><p>“It's a very long story, but...yes. I'm bringing a girl home with me.</p><p>A slow smile spread across Han's face. "That's fantastic! Come on board, everyone!" He paused looking around. "Wait, where's Luke? He better be coming to this! If he lets my little princess down again, I'll-"</p><p>"I'm here!" Luke yelled as he ran up the hill to the ship.</p><p>"You just saved your skin, buddy! I was going to send the Wookie after you."</p><p>Chewie grunted and whined.</p><p>"I know, Chewie. I wouldn't have wanted that either," Luke answered.</p><p>They all tromped up the ramp into the Falcon. Luke veered off for the bedrooms, claiming he needed time to meditate during the trip. Chewie ducked into the co-pilot seat.<br/>Rey wished she could take the pilot seat. Had it only been nine days since she'd flown the old girl?</p><p>Before Han crossed the threshold into the cockpit, he spun around and pointed a finger at Rey.</p><p>Her eyebrows went up as her eyes widened. Did he recognize her?</p><p>"Rey? Your name is Rey?"</p><p>She nodded, holding her breath. She wasn't sure she wanted him to recognize her. She and Ben hadn't really decided what story to tell his parents about this whole situation. It was something they needed to discuss on the trip to Naboo.</p><p>Han's finger transferred to Ben. "Rey? Wasn't that the name of the girl you wrote those love poems about?"</p><p>"Dad!"</p><p>Rey's heart fluttered hearing those words.</p><p>Han couldn't let it go. "Yeah, those ones you kept hidden under your mattress when you were fifteen. They were actually pretty good. I thought about using them for your mother."</p><p>Ben jaw clenched, face turning bright red. "Dad, stop talking!"</p><p>"Aww, you wrote me poems. That's so sweet." Rey cooed as she rubbed his arm. "Nobody's ever written something like that for me. Or anything for me actually."</p><p>Han elbowed her gently. "Pretty sure his mother still has some of them."</p><p>Rey sure hoped so.</p><p>"Will you just go pilot the ship already, old man? Rey and I have to talk," Ben told Han as he turned to the area with the bedrooms.</p><p>"Sure, you need to talk. You know what you're doing in there, kid?" Han called after them.</p><p>"He knows what he's doing!" Rey fired back automatically over her shoulder.</p><p>Ben just turned a deeper share of red while Han cackled as he turned back into the cockpit.</p><p>Rey fully intended to get down to business after closing the bedroom door, but when she saw the hungry look in his eyes, it quickly devolved into a hot make-out session. After ten minutes, with her tongue in his mouth and his hand up her shirt, she pushed him off. "Ben, we've really got to talk about what we're going to tell your family about us."</p><p>Ben sighed, obviously not happy about discontinuing their previous activity but relenting. "You're right." He pursed his lips. "My mom's going to recognize you. She never forgets anyone she meets. And she's going to want to know why you haven't aged. Do you want to make up a story, like that was your mother twenty years ago?"</p><p>"I don't think so, considering who my parents were. Also, we're going to have to tell them about the price on my head, presumably by the Emperor. That would bring up a lot more complicated questions. We should tell them the truth."</p><p>He nodded. </p><p>"What about Mirabella?"</p><p>Suddenly, he froze.</p><p>Realization</p><p>"I didn't have a sister before, did I?”</p><p>"No."</p><p>He blew out a breath. "She exists because of what you did. Force, I can't imagine my life without her, my baby sister. It's a lot to put on a person that they owe you their existence."</p><p>"Maybe we let your parents decide how to handle it with her. Maybe tell her about us being a Force Dyad, meant to be together, but not the time travel stuff."</p><p>He nodded. "That should work for now, but I have this feeling she’s going to find out everything eventually." He glanced at the chrono. It'll be a few hours before we reach Naboo. Do you want to take a nap?"</p><p>She smiled, eyes hooded. "No."</p><p>He smiled back. "Me neither."</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Fourteen – Rey</p><p>The sprawling manor appeared through the clouds as they descended to the surface of Naboo. Rey stared in wonder out of the front window in the cockpit, just behind Han and Chewie. She saw three wings coming off the center of the place. A fountain in the front yard spurted water into the air. A giant swimming pool and huge garden sat behind the building. Farther back was the lake of crystal blue water, a boat parked on a dock near the house.</p><p>"You live in a castle!" she exclaimed.</p><p>Han chuckled. "The advantages of being royalty. Did you know you're dating a prince?"</p><p>"Don't call me that!" Ben yelled from the living area behind them.</p><p>"Oh, sorry, I meant Jedi prince!" Han yelled back.</p><p>Ben huffed but didn't say anything more.</p><p>"I'm aware," Rey said to Han. She wouldn't have carried if he'd been a dirt farmer or sanitation worker. She just wanted him.</p><p>Han continued. "Even though Alderaan is gone, the royal family had properties all over the galaxy. Some were lost to the Empire, but this one remained intact.  It's been here for generations."</p><p>The ship set down flawlessly, and a figure emerged from the house. They all headed down the ramp, Luke joining them at the back of the group.</p><p>Leia arrived at the bottom of the ramp just as they exited. Rey noticed she walked just slightly hunched, not as tall and stiff as she did as the General. She remembered the injuries Ben had told her about, suffered during Leia’s battle with Snoke. It wasn't as evident as Luke's lost eye, but spoke volumes of what she'd endured to save her son. Rey, who'd admired her from the beginning of her journey, couldn't help but admire her just a little more.</p><p>Leia embraced Ben first, squeezing him tight. "I missed you, my boy."</p><p>He wrapped his large arms around her. "I just saw you a couple months ago. But I always miss you, Mom."</p><p>She squeezed him one more time then let go. She went to Han next, pecking him on the cheek. "Did you have a good run?"</p><p>"Of course, your worshipfulness."</p><p>She swatted him playfully, laughing. Then she hugged the Wookie. "Chewie!"</p><p>Chewie bellowed happily.</p><p>She stepped aside. "Luke."</p><p>"Hello, Sister."</p><p>They embraced. "Mirabella's going to be so happy you came."</p><p>"I'm excited to hear her sing. I've only heard recordings since she started on this career."</p><p>Leia pulled away from Luke and spied Rey.</p><p>Rey's stomach clenched as Leia studied her. She wanted to put out her hand and introduce herself, but Leia’s scrutinizing her kept her frozen in place.</p><p>Finally, Leia nodded. "Rey, isn't it? You were assisting my brother at the temple when we first brought Ben. Yet, I haven't seen or heard about you since then." She stepped forward and grabbed Rey by the chin, rotating her face to either side. "And you haven't aged."</p><p>Rey held still, letting Leia manipulate her movements in any way the older woman wanted</p><p>Ben stepped behind Rey and put his hands on her shoulders. "Mom, she's with me."</p><p>Rey leaned back into him, savoring the heat coming off him, appreciating his protection.</p><p>"Oh! Is that how it is?" Leia's eyes widened.</p><p>Luke stepped forward. "I'll vouch for Rey. Her intentions are pure."</p><p>Leia's head twisted sharply to her brother. "You are condoning this?"</p><p>He ignored her question, instead saying, "Rey is the one who told me about Snoke. She's the reason I knew he was the one attacking Ben when he was eighteen."</p><p>Leia reeled back.</p><p>Han reached out to steady her then put an arm around her shoulders. "If she told Luke about that, she's obviously a friend to us."</p><p>"But how did she know?" Leia implored, her eyes shining.</p><p>"It's a long story, which we're going to tell you. Do we have enough time before the concert?" Ben asked.</p><p>Glancing at her chrono, Leia shook her head. "No, not enough time for a long story.” She examined Rey for another moment, her brow creased. Then she nodded. “Rey, if my son and brother both trust you, then I trust you."</p><p>Rey smiled as she watched Leia's suspicious manner melt away into one of welcoming.</p><p>Relief</p><p>Ben physically relaxed behind her.</p><p>Leia squeezed Han's hand then pulled away from him. "We've got to get ready for the concert. My flight commander will be escorting us into the city in a shuttle. After the concert, we'll be dining with Mirabella. Then we can talk. Come on."</p><p>Ben took Rey’s hand and they walked into the lake house. </p><p>Rey's breath caught as she crossed the threshold into the huge entranceway. A grand staircase with a swirling wrought-iron handrail graced one side. An intricate crystal chandelier hung down from the high ceiling. It seemed like the white marble stretched on for miles. It looked so elegant, too good for a sand rat like her.</p><p>"You belong here with us," Ben whispered into her hair.</p><p>She knew she belonged with him, and if he lived in a castle, she'd get used to it.</p><p>"Ben and Luke, you've both got clothes in your rooms. Rey, did you bring a gown?" Leia asked.</p><p>Rey bit her lip. Not only hadn't she brought a gown, she'd never even worn one in her entire life.</p><p>"I didn't think so." Leia eyed her. "Come with me."</p><p>"Mother.” Ben’s voice held a note of warning.</p><p>Leia held up a hand and he shut his mouth. "I'm not going to hurt her. She's a little shorter than Mirabella, but she'll fit nicely in one of your sister's gowns. I promise to return her to you unharmed."</p><p>Ben glanced at Rey, but she just nodded and followed Leia up the stairs. Rey couldn't help but gaze wide-eyed at the splendor around her, especially when walking into an amazing gold and silver bedroom.</p><p>Leia flung open a door on the other side of the room, revealing a walk-in closet the size of the place she used to live on Jakku. Dresses of every color lined one wall and matching shoes lined the other.</p><p>"A bit extravagant, I admit, but my daughter has always had a flare for the dramatic. Mirabella will be coming back here with us after the concert, but I guarantee she won't mind you borrowing a gown. What color?"</p><p>Rey stood there, speechless, overwhelmed by the choices.</p><p>Leia nodded. "Let me." She pulled out a gorgeous purple satin dress, examined it, then replaced it. "Nope." She held up a sleeveless deep red dress, then shook her head. "Still not right." Finally, she landed on a shimmering white gown. It was more beautiful than any piece of cloth Rey had ever seen. "Perfect. Go try it on behind that changing screen."</p><p>Rey felt clumsy as she stripped out of the Jedi clothing.</p><p>"Rey, can I tell you something?"</p><p>"Of course, General." She bit her tongue at the slip up. "I mean, ma'am."</p><p>Leia chuckled. "Funny. Back when I fought against the Empire with the Resistance, I dreamed of being a General. But I'm glad my children don't have to experience war like I did at their age. But that wasn't what I wanted to tell you. Has my son told you who my father was?"</p><p>The remembered words echoed in her head. My mother was the daughter of Vader. "Yes."</p><p>She sighed. "He trusts you if he told you that. Anyway, I found out Anakin Skywalker was my father in the middle of the last war, but I've always wondered about my mother. Had he loved her or were Luke and I a product of rape? It gnawed at me, demanding an answer.</p><p>"Recently, I had my genetics run, looking for any family I could find besides Luke. I submitted it here on Naboo first, just because I was already here. And I got a hit."</p><p>"Really? How exciting!" As a person who knew nothing of her family heritage but the worst, she was happy for them. Then she pondered how to get such a dress as this on her.</p><p>"The results showed Padme Amidala, first a Queen and then a Senator on this planet a generation before mine. She died in mysterious circumstances right as the Empire rose to power. I doubted such a regal and well-known woman as her could have been my mother, but I couldn't let it go.</p><p>"I traveled halfway around the planet to find her closest handmaid, Sabe. She may have been elderly, but her memory remained completely intact. And what she told me made me reexamine my whole existence."</p><p>Rey pulled the dress over her head, glad that it stretched instead of ripping. "What did she say?"</p><p>"That Padme died of a broken heart."</p><p>Rey paused at such a poignant statement, but remained silent.</p><p>Leia continued. "Padme fell in love with a Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, even though it was forbidden. She secretly married him and became pregnant. Sabe was one of the few people who knew she carried twins. She didn't know what exactly happened to Padme or the babies at the end, only that she died after Anakin betrayed her."</p><p>Rey stepped out from behind the screen, feeling self-conscious in such a dazzling dress.</p><p>Leia smiled. "Oh, I do believe my son will be most impressed. Let's do your hair."</p><p>Rey smiled at the thought of Ben's reaction to this dress. She moved to the dressing table in the corner. "Does Ben know about Padme?"</p><p>Leia grabbed a brush and started unraveling Rey's hair. "No. Nobody does, not even Luke. I wanted it to be only mine, just for a little while. I’ll tell them all soon."</p><p>"Then why are you telling me?"</p><p>Leia paused her brushing. "Because I hate that vow of celibacy Ben took! If Anakin had been free to love and marry Padme out in the open the way it should have been, I don't think he would have turned to the dark side.</p><p>"If Ben wants to break that vow and be with someone he loves, I'll support him. But you should know, if you hurt him, I'll destroy you. Do you understand?" Leia dragged the brush roughly through Rey's hair.</p><p>Rey gulped. "I would never hurt Ben."</p><p>"Good. We have an understanding then. Now, close your eyes, dear."</p><p>Rey complied and tried not to flinch when some kind of pad moved across her eyelids. Then something dragged across her lips.</p><p>"Now stand up and open your eyes."</p><p>Doing as she was told, Rey found her looking at a stranger in the mirror. A beautiful woman in an opulent, white gown with red lips and flowing, brown hair. She looked exactly like the Rey in Ben's fantasy, save for the scars. For a moment, she could do anything but stare at her reflection.</p><p>"Marvelous! My son’s going to have to pick his jaw up off the floor when he sees you!”</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: I know, two chapters in one day! Tomorrow we're leaving early to go to a drive-in safari at Six Flags and I'm not sure I'm going to have time to post at my usual morning time. So you get a bonus chapter today! I will still try to post tomorrow, but if not, I promise a very exciting chapter on Monday!</p><p>Chapter Fifteen – Ben</p><p>Ben's jaw almost unhinged when Rey walked down the stairs. She was always beautiful to him, but seeing her in this shimmering white dress with her hair down and a huge smile on her red lips stunned him.</p><p>Want</p><p>Her emotion towards him hit even harder as it mingled with his own desire for her. He had to shake his head to dispel the image of him throwing her on the dining room table in the next room and taking her right then.</p><p>She finished descending the stairs and stood next to him, her hands running down his chest. "I wasn't sure I ever wanted to see you in black again, but this suit is so..." She trailed off as if looking for the right word.</p><p>"You look..." He understood her dilemma. His brain couldn't find the right words to convey how gorgeous she looked and how much he loved her.</p><p>"The words you two are looking for are handsome and ravishing," Han spoke up as he came down the stairs. He pulled at the collar of his suit. "I hate wearing these things."</p><p>"But you look so handsome in them yourself," Leia commented as she followed behind him dressed in an emerald green gown, her hair braided around her head. She glanced out the window as Luke came down in a suit as well. "Shuttle's here."</p><p>“Where's Chewie?” Rey looked around.</p><p>"The furry lump can't handle the crowds at these things," Han answered as he opened the door.</p><p>Ben checked to make sure his lightsaber was clipped firmly to his hip and saw Luke do the same. He noticed Rey's hand at her own hip, then a quick frown as she remembered she no longer had one. He made a mental note to discuss getting her a new one with Master Skywalker.</p><p>The door opened, revealing the shuttle. His mother's flight commander stood in front of it.</p><p>Glee</p><p>"Poe!" Rey cried. She ran to him with her arms open, which was quite a feat considering the delicate, strappy shoes she wore. Then, just before she reached him, she pulled up short.</p><p>"Well, hello," Poe's smooth voice greeted her as his eyes appraised her. He smiled coyly. "You seem to know me, and even though I don't know you, I'd like too."</p><p>Disappointment</p><p>Ben squashed the jealousy attempting to flare up within him. Instead, it mutated into sympathy. Obviously, she'd known him from before but Poe had no idea who she was. Even worse, he was trying to hit on her and she didn't like it.</p><p>Rey floundered. "I... I've heard a lot about you. About how good a pilot you are."</p><p>One of Rey's memories flashed in his head, a continuation of the same one from when they’d been attacked by kidnappers on Jakku. She stood in the desert next to the wreckage of a shuttle, the shuttle she’d blasted out of the sky with blue lightning. Poe yelled down from a ledge to her and another man that they had to get out of there. Rey stared at her hand for a moment before looking at a man on the opposite side of the wreckage. Him. No, not him. That other Ben, Kylo Ren. He stood in the desert heat all in black, cloak billowing in the breeze, intensely eyeing Rey. How Ben despised him!</p><p>Ben caught himself. He had to keep his temper in check or else he'd end up force choking someone again. He'd worked too hard training over the years to let his control fall apart.</p><p>Ignoring the memory, Ben took pity on Rey and stepped up next to her. His arm circled her waist. "Hey, Poe. Good to see you again. I was telling Rey about that maneuver you pulled off in the atmosphere of Agamar. Rey's a pretty good pilot, so she was thoroughly impressed."</p><p>Poe's smile widened. "That was quite a maneuver!" His eyes slipped down to Ben's hand at her waist. "So you two? How's that work with the Jedi thing?"</p><p>"Long story. How'd you get stuck with the scut work of shuttling us around?"</p><p>"Made a deal with the boss that I get to see the concert in exchange. Tried to convince Mirabella to give me a private concert, but she turned me down. This was my best chance to see her."</p><p>"None of us is going to get to see the concert if you don't stop talking so much!" Leia yelled from the back of the group.</p><p>This prompted all of them to climb into the shuttle. The ride was uneventful and not too long. Poe landed them on the roof of the concert hall, a location exclusive to those VIPs attending an event.</p><p>Night had fallen as they exited the shuttle and Rey gasped as she saw the expanse of the city lights. She captured Ben's hand and pulled him to the railing. "So many lights! It's so beautiful!" She didn't let go of his hand as Leia urged them into the elevator that took them down to their level. He didn’t want to let go either.</p><p>An attendant droid guided them to their private box. Ben had been there a few times before for concerts and plays and his mother always splurged on a private box. He was glad they had one this time just so he could give Rey the best experience.</p><p>The inner room contained plush sofas and tables lined with snacks and drinks. A door in back led to a tiny private refresher.</p><p>Rey's whole face brightened as she spied the snack table. "Is all this food for us?"</p><p>Ben realized in all the rush they'd forgotten the mid-day meal. She had to be ravenous.</p><p>"Yep," Han answered as he finished fixing himself a drink. His eyebrows flew up as Rey practically dived into the bowl of root chips.</p><p>Ben couldn't help laughing at her gusto.</p><p>"Sorry," she mumbled around a mouthful of food. It didn't stop her from tossing a few Bofa treats in her mouth.</p><p>"Actually, that reminds me. Mom, Rey comes from Jakku. The planet is in need of serious aid. Their economy is abysmal, they still have slavery and people are starving. You need to send a team there."</p><p>"No talking business," Han admonished him. He handed Leia a drink and then handed one to Rey, who gladly accepted it as she continued munching.</p><p>Poe finished making his drink, then clapped Ben on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll start an investigation on Jakku."</p><p>Rey looked back at him, a sincere smile on her face. "Thank you, Poe."</p><p>He gave her a nod and answering smile.</p><p>"Shall we take our seats? The show's going to start soon." Leia slid open the clear door on the opposite side of the room. The heavy sounds of a crowd flowed in. "I'm so excited to see my girl on stage here!" Her, Han, Luke and Poe stepped out the door and Ben could see them taking seats, leaving the two on the end for him and Rey. </p><p>Rey grabbed two giant handfuls of cracknuts then looked at the dress she wore with a frown. "No pockets," she whined.</p><p>Ben snorted. He grabbed a cup off the drink table. "I've got you covered." He held out the cup and she dumped the cracknuts inside.</p><p>"Thanks! Now I can carry my drink out too!"</p><p>He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her out the sliding door. Their box had a private group of chairs on a platform above the general crowd but with a fantastic view of the stage.</p><p>She gasped and froze as she took in the enormity of the arena before her. "So many people!" she whispered.</p><p>"This arena can hold forty thousand people, and I believe Mirabella has sold it out," Ben told her.</p><p>Rey's eyes widened. "There's more people here than live on the entire planet of Jakku."</p><p>The lights above them dimmed and the crowd below quieted.</p><p>"Here, sit." Ben pointed to the chairs.</p><p>Rey, still clutching her drink and snack, scooted into the seat next to Han.</p><p>Ben sat down next to her.</p><p>The thick, maroon curtain rose up, revealing a beautiful woman. Mirabella Solo dazzled in a form-fitting black dress splashed with twinkling crystals. A slit ran up the side of her dress, hinting at a shapely thigh underneath. Her long brown hair hung down her back with numerous tiny braids interspersed within the waves. Dark lipstick covered her luscious lips, almost making her pale skin glow. The crowd cheered as she smiled.</p><p>A band of Bith musicians behind her began playing, and a haunting melody filled the arena. It went quiet.</p><p>Mirabella sang and her lovely voice carried easily to every person listening.</p><p>As the music washed over Ben, he could practically feel the endorphins releasing from his brain. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. His muscles relaxed as his sister continued singing. He had known for years that Mirabella's gift with the Force actually manifested through her singing, her use of suggestion soothing and delighting people. He'd once asked her if she realized her use of the Force, but she didn't understand what he had been trying to tell her. She'd insisted he was the Force user of the family.</p><p>Rey leaned over and put down her cups on the floor by her feet. Then she entwined her finger with his.</p><p>Ben opened his eyes and met hers. As they stared into each other, their breathing, and even their heart rates, matched up with one another.</p><p>Love</p><p>Her emotion filled him and he could see his equivalent emotion of love filled her as well. Her pupils dilated as her lips parted. The bond between them thrummed. His breath caught in his throat as her hand trembled in his.  He couldn't stop himself from leaning over and pressing the lightest feather kiss to her lips. </p><p>When he pulled back, he saw his mother watching him. She gave him a slight nod before sitting back in her seat with a smile on her face.</p><p>Mirabella sang song after song. Some were sweet, others haunting and one downright hard.  The audience gave her standing ovations after every song, which she received with grace and poise, a huge smile on her face and sending kisses out to the crowd. Finally, she paused her singing and spoke directly to her fans.</p><p>"I have one last song to sing tonight, but I wanted to thank all of you. I'd be nothing without your love and support. Each show I do makes me want to try harder and harder for you, my wonderful fans. This show is particularly special, considering I've grown up spending my summers here on Naboo."</p><p>The crowd exploded with cheering.</p><p>Mirabella laughed. "I love this place too! And my family is here to share this show with me! Love you, Mom and Dad." She pointed up at their private box.</p><p>All heads turned towards them.</p><p>His father, in typical Han fashion, stood up and took a bow. His mother just waved. Luke turned his body in his chair, looking away with a grimace on his face.</p><p>"Oh, Uncle Luke, don't be nervous. I'm just glad you've finally made it to one of my concerts."</p><p>Luke relented, turning back forward and raised his hand to crowd. A slow smile spread on his face as he looked down at his niece.</p><p>Affectionate clapping resounded.</p><p>"Hello, Poe."</p><p>He waved and winked at her.</p><p>She giggled. Then she tilted her head. "I'm not sure who the woman is holding my brother's hand up there, but if you make my brother happy, then I already like you!"</p><p>The crowd awwed.</p><p>Rey made a squeaking noise as her face changed to bright red and she tried to melt into her seat.</p><p>Ben chuckled, shaking his head at his sister.</p><p>She stuck her tongue out at him, eliciting a laugh from the crowd. Then she started her last song.</p><p>Sailing among the stars,<br/>off into the black unknown,<br/>finding yourself alone.<br/>Encountering others,<br/>who then become part of you,<br/>the little parts making a whole being.<br/>Inside the burning sun,<br/>it melts your fears away.<br/>You open yourself,<br/>and find happiness.</p><p>The crowd went wild, forty thousand people on their feet, screaming her name over and over.</p><p>She bowed, threw out kisses and walked off stage.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: I managed to find time to post another chapter today! The safari drive-through was so fun so if you have a Six Flags near you, go for it! This was the first time in months I've been able to take the kids out of the house. Of course, they all feel asleep by the end. Enjoy reading and I am really enjoying all your great comments!</p><p>Chapter Sixteen – Rey</p><p>The room the attendant droid led them into contained more food than Rey had ever seen before. Trays and trays of every imaginable delicacy lined so many tables. The enticing aromas mingled in the air, making her mouth water.</p><p>Numerous people in fancy outfits milled around. They chatted and drank from long glasses but none of them ate the food. It boggled Rey's mind. This amount of food would have caused a riot on Jakku.</p><p>"Oh, yeah, they brought in the good stuff!" Han rubbed his hands together and grabbed a glass of champagne off one of trays carried by droids around the room. He guzzled it down in two gulps.</p><p>Leia rolled her eyes.</p><p>Poe followed the droid to chase down his own drink.</p><p>"Why is no one eating?" Rey whispered to Ben.</p><p>Before Ben could answer, Han spoke up. "None of the hoity-toites want to be seen going first. That gives us first dibs. Come on, Rey."</p><p>With a smile on her face and a not-yet full tummy, Rey followed him. As Han showed her what item was what and how much it cost and what tasted the best, Rey couldn't help but listen in to the argument Ben and Leia had in aggressive whispers behind her. Luke stood by silently, but Rey noticed he stood by Ben.</p><p>"What was that between you and Rey in there? Even I could feel it through the Force. Where did she come from? And I don't mean Jakku."</p><p>"Mother, this is sensitive information. I'm not going to discuss it in a room full of strangers!" Ben shot back under his breath.</p><p>"He's right. This is not the right place. We'll tell you everything when we get back to the house," Luke added.</p><p>Rey sighed. She hated all the secrecy.</p><p>Han glanced at her as he added a skewer of tender meat to her plate. "Don't let it worry you. Leia just can't stand not knowing exactly what's going on around her. But if it makes you feel better, I think she really likes you. And I like you too. And Ben...oh, boy! You've hit him hard!"</p><p>Rey's face grew hot as her heart fluttered with happiness.</p><p>"Here, you've got to try one of these too." Han shoved a round bun on her plate, which had to displace some of the other food to make room.</p><p>Rey gawked at the weight of food she carried back to Ben. He'd claimed a small table for them to stand at, which answered Rey's unvoiced question on how she would eat the food and have a drink. She discovered with happiness that Ben already had a drink waiting for her.</p><p>Clapping erupted from the other side of the room as Mirabella strolled into the room. She'd changed out of the form-fitting sparkling dress into a more comfortable, flowing blue dress. She greeted everyone she passed by with hugs, kisses and smiles.</p><p>Leia stepped into her path.</p><p>Mirabella threw her arms around Leia. "Mommy!" She hugged her mother tightly.</p><p>When they parted, Leia smoothed Mirabella's hair away from her face. "You were splendid! I loved the new songs, especially that last one. But I thought we were getting you all to ourselves when you said a private dinner?"</p><p>Mirabella laughed. "I meant a private dinner with my family and fifty of my closest supporters! I promise this won't take all night, I just have to say hi to everyone. And you must eat the food. This caterer is incredible, especially the fringi spice cake. I know how you love spice cake!"</p><p>"I'm looking forward to such a treat!" Leia chuckled. "But perhaps some real food first. Are you eating? Have you eaten at all today?"</p><p>Mirabella rolled her eyes. "Yes, mother. But first, I want to meet this mysterious woman Ben brought with him."</p><p>Rey's stomach clenched as they walked over. She didn't quite understand why, but she desperately wanted Ben's sister to approve of her. Rey just wasn't sure what Mirabella would think of Rey when she finally learned the whole truth.</p><p>Ben intercepted Mirabella before she got to Rey. "Mirie, you were absolutely incredible!"</p><p>"Thank you, big brother. Now introduce me to this beautiful woman I caught you kissing during my show," Mirabella demanded.</p><p>Rey and Ben blushed simultaneously.</p><p>"Rey, this is my very talented baby sister, Mirabella. Mirie, this is Rey," Ben formally introduced them.</p><p>The two women gripped hands.</p><p>"I'm so excited to meet you! Ben told me how amazing of a singer you are, but I never could have imagined," Rey gushed to her, meaning every word.</p><p>Mirabella touched Rey's shoulder. "I really appreciate that." She glanced at Ben, narrowing her eyes. "And he's told me absolutely nothing about you."</p><p>"Rey and I…knew each other a long time ago. We only just recently became reacquainted." Ben struggled to explain.</p><p>Mirabella turned back to Rey, a generous smile on her lovely face. "However it happened, I'm really looking forward to hearing the whole story about you and my brother after we get home. You are gorgeous, by the way."</p><p>"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't have a gown, and Leia said it would be okay to borrow one of yours. She picked this one for me. I didn't pick it out myself." Rey bit down on her tongue to stop herself from rambling. Her cheeks grew hot, embarrassed to be wearing this famous woman's dress.</p><p>"Don't fret! I think it looks better on you than it ever did on me. You should keep it. Consider it a gift."</p><p>Rey's jaw dropped. Never had she owned such a fine piece of clothing. For Mirabella to gift it to her really touched her. "Thank you," Rey whispered, trying to hold back tears of gratitude.</p><p>Mirabella smiled. Then she fell into the arms of her father before continuing her journey of greetings around the room.</p><p>Rey devoured everything on her plate, including stealing another of those savory buns off Ben's plate. He'd laughed at her, reminding her she could take as much as she wanted from the ever-filled trays. The desserts fascinated her and she had to try at least one of everything. By the time Mirabella finished mingling and they headed back to the shuttle, Rey's stomach protested loudly. She decided she definitely preferred being uncomfortably full than starving.</p><p>The shuttle flew away from the city and out into the darkness of the countryside. Rey dozed off and on, her head leaning on Ben's shoulder. What an incredible night she'd had!</p><p>A loud boom suddenly echoed through the cabin and the shuttle lurched to the side. Loud sirens blared.</p><p>Rey woke up immediately, adrenaline flooding her body.</p><p>"Somebody's shooting at us!" Poe yelled back at them. He shoved the propulsion drive into high gear, attempting to outrun them.</p><p>Another hit landed and the shuttle dropped for a moment before Poe could correct it. "I can't shake him! Everybody buckle up because I'm going to try something that probably shouldn't be done in a transport shuttle."</p><p>Everyone scrambled to tighten their belts.</p><p>"Here we go!" Poe yelled.</p><p>The shuttle swung up and around. Everyone gasped as they flipped over and hung upside down.</p><p>"Are you crazy?" Han roared.</p><p>The shuttle flipped again and they all bumped hard against their seats. Ben grabbed her hand.</p><p>Han unbuckled himself and climbed over his wife, who protested loudly. He ran to the front, buckling into the co-pilot's seat. It had sat empty, unneeded for such a routine flight. Han looked out the front window. "Actually, that was brilliant! You're right behind him! Blast him out of the sky!"</p><p>"Target his weapons!" Ben shouted. He leapt out of his seat and ran to the front. "Then see if you can get next to him."</p><p>"What?!" Poe and Han hollered at the same time.</p><p>"We need information! Maybe we can take the guy alive!"</p><p>They all lurched to the side as Poe kept on the tail of the other shuttle as it tried to escape. "Fine!" Poe shouted back. He lined up then blasted their weapon's array. It sent sparks <br/>and smoke out into the night.</p><p>"Now get next to him!" Ben instructed and turned back around. Rey and Luke were both out of their seats by now, and Ben said to them. "Keep it steady for me until I signal I've got control."</p><p>Rey frowned, realizing exactly what he intended to do.</p><p>His sister spoke before Rey could. "You better not be thinking what I think you're thinking."</p><p>Ben ignored her. "Blast this suit!" He ripped off the jacket and yanked the shirt out of the pants, stretching out his arms. Then he hit the button to open the side door.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Leia screamed at him.</p><p>Wind rushed in, even stronger than the storm at the Jedi Temple. Luke instantly put his hands up, holding the shuttle in place with the Force.</p><p>Ben looked at Rey.</p><p>Love</p><p>Determination</p><p>As much as she wanted to stop him, she knew she couldn't. Instead, she nodded back, sending him all the love in her heart.</p><p>"Rey," Luke urged in a strained voice.</p><p>The shuttle swayed as it fought against Luke's hold. Rey reached out with the Force and added her strength to Luke's. The shuttle steadied.</p><p>Ben grasped onto the door frame and tensed. Then he leapt out into the air.</p><p>"Ben!" Mirabella screamed.</p><p>He landed on the roof of the offending shuttle in a roll. Rey's stomach dropped as he almost fell off the other side. His hand whipped out, catching the tiniest ledge between the roof and the front window. Using the force, he slid back into the middle. She saw him take a deep breath.</p><p>Ben slowly drew his legs underneath his body. With one hand, he used the Force to keep from getting dragged off. His other hand reached to his hip and drew out his lightsaber.</p><p>The shuttle bucked under him. He almost dropped the lightsaber.</p><p>Rey put everything she had into keeping that shuttle still, but it wasn't enough as it continued to tremble.</p><p>Then another power added to her's and Luke's.</p><p>She glanced back and saw Leia's hand up. The older woman concentrated fully on the shuttle her son kneeled upon. The shuttle stilled as it flew onward.</p><p>Ben ignited the lightsaber and thrust the purple blade through the roof. He drove it back and forth until he created a hole big enough for him to jump inside.</p><p>Not seeing him or knowing what he'd just dropped into spiked her anxiety. There could be plenty of enemies in there. Part of her waited with dread at the idea of him being hurt, or worse. She gritted her teeth and focused on keeping the shuttle even with them.</p><p>An eternity passed for her before Ben's voice sounded over the comm. "The bastard poisoned himself and set this thing to blow. Poe, as soon as I'm off, get as far away from it as you can."</p><p>A moment later, Ben pulled himself back onto the shuttle roof and leapt for their shuttle. Before he completed the arc, the shuttle exploded into a fireball behind him. The force slammed into Ben, knocking him too low to get back through the doorway.</p><p>"No!" screamed Rey. She changed her focus all to him, catching his body with the Force. She felt Luke and Leia's power on him as well. Together, they hauled him back inside.</p><p>As they lowered him on the floor, he groaned and rolled onto his front arms.</p><p>Rey winced when she saw the back of his dress shirt had been burned away. The skin underneath glowed red, like he'd been badly sunburned.</p><p>Without another thought, Luke knelt down next to his nephew and placed his hand over Ben's burned back.</p><p>Ben cringed at first, but as Luke healed him, Ben's features relaxed. In seconds, his back returned to normal color. "Thanks," he breathed out.</p><p>"Anytime. That's the most excitement I've had in a while." Luke reached down and helped Ben get up.</p><p>Rey flew into Ben's arms. "That was stupid," she admonished him. "But also really impressive," she added.</p><p>Poe landed the shuttle on the ground, and everyone rushed to get out. They could see the burning wreckage of the other shuttle nearby. "This is Commander Poe Dameron. I need a full investigation crew to my coordinates now! I also need a double security detail to the Organa lake house." Poe spoke forcefully into his comm unit.</p><p>Leia marched over to Ben and jabbed a finger into his chest. "Ben Kenobi Solo, you tell me exactly what's going on right now or so help me!"</p><p>"I wouldn't recommend that, ma'am." Poe answered instead. "It'll be much safer to talk back at the lake house where my security team will have the place locked down."</p><p>Leia blew out a frustrated breath, but nodded. She glared at Ben.</p><p>Rey knew it was definitely time to lay out the truth.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: WARNING! The second half of this chapter is sexually explicit. Even if that isn't your thing, you might want to read the first half of the chapter for important story dialogue. Thanks!</p><p>Chapter Seventeen – Rey</p><p>"Now, Ben." Leia looked pointedly at her son.</p><p>Rey declined Han's offer for a drink with a wave of her hand, as did Ben and Luke. Both Leia and Mirabella held glasses with strong liquor. Chewie, who’d met them as they landed, now stood silently  behind Han. They all gathered in a comfortable sitting room near the back of the house.</p><p>"Alright, I think we're all exhausted after what just happened so I'm going to make this as short and easy I can," Ben spoke.</p><p>Rey placed her hand over Ben's.</p><p>He turned it over and entwined his fingers with hers. Then he took a deep breath. "Rey comes from an alternate reality where I turned to the dark side, helped with the rise of The First Order, which is an imitation of the Empire, and murdered my father."</p><p>Han choked on his drink.</p><p>Ben didn't stop. "Rey joined the Resistance under General Leia Organa and was able to turn me away from the dark side. Together, we destroyed the wraith of Emperor Palpatine-"</p><p>"Palpatine!" Leia slammed her drink down on the end table. Some of the blue liquid splashed out, but she didn't notice. Her piercing gaze turned on her brother. "I thought Vader killed him, threw him down an air shaft! You were there!"</p><p>Luke stood up. "I was there! I thought he was dead, too. But when Rey came to me, she told me he had somehow survived the fall. Or maybe was cloned. I don’t know!"</p><p>"His followers kept his frail body alive with machines, magic and sheer will," Rey answered. "Although he still might have been a clone. A bad one. He needed a new body, a powerful one. I think he'd been grooming Ben for years through Snoke to steal his body. Right up until he found me."</p><p>"Are you more powerful than Ben?" Mirabella asked.</p><p>"No, we have equal power because we are a Dyad in the Force." Rey met Ben's eyes.</p><p>"What does that mean?" Leia spoke up.</p><p>Luke answered for them. "The Force has bonded them together, making them two that are one. They share a soul."</p><p>Han snorted. "Talk about true love. No wonder he was writing love poems to her!"</p><p>Mirabella slapped his arm. "Stop it, Dad! This is serious."</p><p>"What? I am being serious. You weren't the one whose son murdered him in an alternate reality!" Han took a big swing from his glass.</p><p>Leia shook her head, then asked, "So if you two destroyed Palpatine in this other reality, if you won, why are you here, Rey?"</p><p>Rey closed her eyes, the pain of her loss squeezing her heart. "Because Ben died."</p><p>Leia, Han and Mirabella gasped in unison.</p><p>Ben continued for her. "Rey found an ancient Jedi device that allowed her to travel back in time to fix one mistake, which was to alter the course of my life. Then it pulled her back to the future of this timeline."</p><p>Leia looked at Rey. "So we saw you twenty years ago. How long has it been for you?"</p><p>"Eight days."</p><p>"No wonder you haven't aged!" She swallowed and pursed her lips. "That still doesn't explain why our shuttle was attacked tonight."</p><p>"Right, I forgot about that part." Ben cleared his throat. "Rey has a price on her head. We're relatively sure Emperor Palpatine is alive in this reality and he still wants her."</p><p>Mirabella frowned. "But if Ben and Rey have equal power, why would he specifically target Rey?"</p><p>"Because she's his granddaughter."</p><p>Every time she heard it said, it was like a knife plunging into her heart over and over again. She couldn't help wincing.</p><p>Ben squeezed her hand. "Rey's parents sold her into slavery on Jakku when she was five years old to hide her from him. I don't know how he's found her so quickly."</p><p>"How devastating!” Leia hand when to her chest. “I'm so sorry, Rey. Maybe you should be in protective custody."</p><p>"No," Ben said firmly, standing up with Rey. "This is the best location, especially with Poe doubling the security teams. I made a mistake taking her to the concert, but here I can protect her."</p><p>"I have to go back to the Temple," Luke spoke up, "but I can bring back one of the training lightsabers for Rey to have. I'm sorry it won't be as good as your yellow lightsaber."</p><p>"Wait!" Leia barked before her voice softened. She held up a finger for them to give her a minute, then she slipped out of the room.</p><p>Rey wondered what that was about. She looked up at Ben, who just shrugged in response.</p><p>Mirabella stood up and walked over to Rey. "I guess I'm not singing in that alternate reality," she said in a soft voice.</p><p>Rey shook her head. "No, and the galaxy is a much darker place without your singing."</p><p>Mirabella smiled, looking down at the ground self-consciously. "Thank you."</p><p>Leia stepped back in the room and held out her lightsaber to Rey. "I want you to have mine."</p><p>Rey recognized it immediately, remembering when the ghostly manifestation of Luke handed it to her before she faced the Emperor. Emotion welled up inside her. Tears formed in her eyes and she hastily brushed them away. "Are you sure?"</p><p>Leia nodded. "It belongs with you now. After what you did for my son, there's no way for me to adequately thank you. Take it." She pushed it into Rey's hand.</p><p>"Thank you! Thank you!" Rey threw her arms around Leia before she realized what she'd done.</p><p>Yet, before Rey could draw away, Leia embraced her back. The older woman squeezed her gently before letting go. Rey caught her wiping away a few tears as well. Then Leia cleared her throat. "Alright, everyone, it's very late and it's time for sleep. Rey can sleep in the mountain-view bedroom, right across from Ben's room. Is that close enough?" She looked at Ben with an expression on her face that dared him to argue with her.</p><p>"Perfect. Goodnight, mother."</p><p>Leia kissed Mirabella on the cheek. "Wonderful show tonight, dear."</p><p>"Goodnight, Mom"</p><p>Leia then gripped Han's hand and pulled him along behind her.</p><p>Han patted Rey on the back as he walked by and waved goodnight to his children.</p><p>"I'm going to do a sweep of the grounds before turning in. Come with me, Chewie." Luke nodded to them as he left.</p><p>Chewie followed along behind him.</p><p>Rey followed Ben and Mirabella up the stairs and through the same hall Leia had taken her for the gown. Mirabella threw open one of the doors and led them in. Rey adored the lavender color of the walls, accented with darker shades of purple and silver on the bedspread, drapes and carpet.</p><p>Mirabella parted the drapes slightly. "It's too dark to see the mountains now, but when you wake up, the view is spectacular. Of course," she smiled coyly, "if you were by chance to wake up from the room across the hall, you'd have a spectacular view of the lake."</p><p>Ben rolled his eyes. "Goodnight, Mirie."</p><p>Mirabella smiled brightly. "Goodnight, Ben. Goodnight, Rey." Then she strolled out of the room.</p><p>"So this is my room?" Rey still hadn't gotten over the honor of Leia giving her the lightsaber, but also giving her such a gorgeous bedroom seemed too much.</p><p>"Technically," Ben answered.</p><p>"Technically?"</p><p>"You can keep all your stuff here, but I don't intend you to sleep here."</p><p>Warmth grew in Rey's body, igniting sparks inside her. "So I get a view of the lake tomorrow morning?"</p><p>"Definitely."</p><p>Before she could blink, they'd crossed the hall to his bedroom. Rey attacked him, her hands on the back of his head, dragging his mouth down to hers.</p><p>He used his foot to kick the door shut behind him as he kissed her with gusto. His raising desire for her mixed with her own desire, the two sides mingling into one overwhelming need.</p><p>Rey's fingers slipped out of his hair and down his neck. She skimmed past his collar and landed on the first button. She loved how the fitted dress shirt hugged his well-defined chest muscles. Her fingers struggled with the first button and finally popped it open. The second button gave her more trouble. With a growl of frustration, she pushed away from him and ripped the shirt open. Buttons clattered as they flew around the room.</p><p>A deep laugh rumbled through Ben as he shucked off the remains of his shirt.</p><p>Rey couldn't resist tracing her fingers over his chest and down his abdomen.</p><p>Ben grabbed her upper arms and pulled her back into him as his mouth ravaged hers.</p><p>She couldn't get enough of the taste of him. A throbbing beat through her body. She couldn't seem to get close enough to him either, even as his evident want hardened.</p><p>He slowly walked her backwards until her legs hit the edge of a high bed. Her hand touched a silky comforter on top of it.</p><p>Then, in one swift motion, he spun her around and leaned her over the bed. He roughly yanked her dress up over her waist and dragged her panties down her legs. He picked up her feet then threw the offending piece of cloth across the room.</p><p>Rey reveled in his aggressive actions. She hadn't minded taking the lead their first time when he'd been afraid to hurt her. Yet, now that she released the inner bonds on his lust, she liked him taking charge.</p><p>He whipped off his belt then kicked off his pants and underwear. His foot moved her ankles farther out, opening her legs.</p><p>Her heart sped up. She ached for him to take her.</p><p>One hand gripped her hip. He positioned himself with the tip of his steel shaft at her opening. Then he hesitated.</p><p>Yes!! she screamed inside her head. She knew he'd heard her silently screamed consent because his other hand gripped her other hip and he penetrated into her. She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of him filling her.</p><p>He kissed her shoulder before he started moving against her. He started slow.</p><p>Something about this angle had him hitting all the right places. The throbbing within her intensified. She moaned and pushed her hips further against him.</p><p>It urged him on. He picked up the pace. His tongue joined his lips on her shoulder, licking her. His hands went around her body, caressing her breasts through her dress.</p><p>Rey moaned louder as he thrust into her faster.</p><p>His one hand created burning streaks of fire down her stomach. Then his finger dipped into her folds finding her nerve center.</p><p>She bucked against him, crying out.</p><p>His other arm wrapped around her waist to keep her against him. He bit into her shoulder, teeth scraping against her flesh. It didn't hurt much but further added to the stimulation.<br/>As he plunged himself inside her over and over again, he stroked her to the point of madness. The throbbing overcame all thought. Her head lolled back on his shoulder as her back arched. She screamed as her whole body convulsed with pleasure.</p><p>His own orgasm followed on the heels of hers. He buried himself deep inside her as he bit her shoulder again.</p><p>Things rattled around the room, but luckily there was no earthquake this time. Neither of them would have wanted to face the wrath of Leia Organa if they’d damaged the house.</p><p>Clinging to her, he kissed away the sting to her shoulder as they both came down from the high. They panted in unison.</p><p>He pulled out of her then picked her up.</p><p>She let out a little yelp, but didn't resist. She was exhausted after such a night. A concert, a shuttle attack and a vigorous lovemaking session!</p><p>He laid her on the bed then helped strip her out of the dress. He pulled the covers over her naked body. Then he crawled into bed besides her. He wrapped his arm protectively over <br/>her.</p><p>"Rey?"</p><p>"Mm?" She closed her eyes, drifting towards sleep.</p><p>"You don't have to answer now, but I want you to know that when this is all over, I intend to ask you to marry me."</p><p>She opened her eyes and gave him a dazzling smile. "And I intend to say yes."</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Eighteen – Rey</p><p>"Good morning, sleepyheads!" Mirabella said as she threw open the door.</p><p>Ben startled next to Rey as they woke up. He pulled the covers further up. "Mirie, get out!"</p><p>Rey covered her head with the pillow, embarrassed to be caught in such a position by Ben's sister. However, the rich smell of the specialty-blend caff drew her back out.</p><p>"I've brought you caff as a peace offering." She put a cup for each of them on the dresser, unfazed. "Besides, I don't think I can hold Mom off any longer. She's got clothes and toiletries for Rey she's bringing up. I figured you'd rather I woke you than her." She crossed the room to the window and threw open the curtains. Sunlight streamed in.</p><p>Rey and Ben flinched as their eyes reacted to the sudden brightness.</p><p>Mirabella pulled a piece of clothing off her shoulder and tossed it to Rey. "Sorry, I should have given you that nightshirt before I went to bed."</p><p>"Thanks!" Rey sat up and slipped the long, green nightshirt over her head without baring too much skin.</p><p>Mirabella peeked out the door. "Eek! I hear her coming up the stairs! Rey, get across the hall!"</p><p>Rey scrambled out of the bed and darted to the lavender room across from Ben's. She quickly, but quietly, closed the door behind her. When she turned around, her gaze fixed on the glorious view of the mountains through the wide window. It mesmerized her.</p><p>A light knock sounded on the door.</p><p>Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at how close Leia came to finding them tangled naked in bed together. "Come in."</p><p>Leia strolled into the room carrying a large pile of clothing, including the clothes Rey had shed yesterday in favor of the white gown. It appeared someone had cleaned them. A bag also hung from her arm. "Good morning! Since you'll be staying here for a while, I brought you some necessities. We can get you anything else you want. And Mirabella already told me you are welcome to share anything she has." Leia eyed the bed, still perfectly made.</p><p>Rey swallowed, but was saved by Ben as he stepped in the room. He now wore a pair of plaid sleeping pants and a red T-shirt, a cup of caff in each hand. "Mirie brought us caff." He handed Rey the cup. "Morning, Mom."</p><p>"Good morning, darling." Leia pecked him on the cheek.</p><p>"Wow, how considerate of Rey to make the bed." Ben commented.</p><p>"Mmm hmm," Leia hummed. "It almost looks as if nobody even slept in this bed." One eyebrow rose as she stared at her son.</p><p>He hid the faint blush spreading over his cheeks by gulping down his caff.</p><p>"Thank you so much for the clothes and things," Rey said to Leia, who smiled graciously at her.</p><p>"We'll get dressed and meet you downstairs for breakfast," Ben said.</p><p>Over the next two months, they fell into a routine. Despite the fact that they couldn't leave for fear of another attack, Rey had never been happier. She and Ben trained with their lightsabers for hours at a time. He used to pull his punches, but then she'd always best him. Once he finally learned his lesson, they had intense fighting matches, which invariably led to intense bedroom sessions.</p><p>She adored the library. Never had she seen so many books all in one place, seemingly on every subject that existed. She always had a book or two with her now. Swimming in the pool and curling up with Ben on the sofa to watch holovids delighted her as well.</p><p>One of the most interesting aspects of the house was learning that the entire back wing had been dedicated to the continued survival of the people of Alderaan. There'd been a few thousand of them living or traveling off-world when the Deathstar destroyed the planet. Now about forty of them lived here. Many of them worked as staff for the house; cooks, maids, landscapers, etc. But there were also historians and artists and writers. Rey enjoyed long conversations with them about their lost home world. One of the researchers had even attempted to find Finn for her. Unfortunately, without knowing his given name or what planet he'd come from, they found nothing. Rey tried not to be disappointed, hoping he led a fulfilling life without the scars of the First Order. </p><p>Somebody always stayed with them as backup, although everyone being together like with the concert rarely happened. Leia traveled often for diplomatic missions. Han still did shipping jobs, although sometimes he'd let it slip when Leia wasn't around that a few of them were more of the smuggling variety. Mirabella performed at planets all over the galaxy, but now she came back here during her down time instead of her apartment on Coruscant. Poe stopped in often. Rey couldn't help but notice his visit usually corresponded with Mirabella's. Definitely something going on there.</p><p>Luke's activities mystified them. He said he traveled back and forth to the Temple, but often when Ben tried to contact him, Alkos told him Luke wasn't there. Ben suspected he was hunting for Palpatine. Rey begged Luke to let them help with the search, but Luke denied everything. He demanded they stay put. Ben would never go against his master's commands and Rey couldn’t complain about the idyllic life she now enjoyed.</p><p>One night, Rey lay awake in bed beside Ben as he slept. The pretense of them sleeping in separate beds had been dropped long ago. Her stomach bothered her, probably because she ate too much for dinner. She tossed and turned. Even though she tried not to wake Ben, he'd already asked her if she was alright, mumbled through sleepy lips.</p><p>Finally, Rey got up and dressed, pulling her Jedi robe over her clothes incase she got chilly. She hooked her lightsaber to her hip out of habit, preferring to always have it with her. </p><p>Then she slipped down the stairs.</p><p>"Hey, Clem!" She waved to the security guard standing at the door leading out to the pool and gardens.</p><p>"You're up late, Miss Rey."</p><p>"Couldn't sleep. I thought I'd look at those flowers that glow fluorescent in the moonlight. Leia told me about them."</p><p>"They are quite lovely. Enjoy them. Miss Mirabella is out there as well, taking one of her favored midnight swims."</p><p>Rey smiled. She and Mirabella had grown quite close over the past two months. Rey even started calling her by Ben's nickname, Mirie, which Mirabella seemed to like. Never having had a sibling in her life, Rey relished this new-found relationship with a sister-figure, especially since Mirabella was only a year younger than her. Rey had never giggled so much as when Mirabella's manager sent over a heap of dresses for Mirabella to try on, and Mirabella had insisted Rey try them on as well. Some were so gorgeous, while others were just horrifying!</p><p>"Thank you, Clem," she grinned at him as she walked outside and strolled up the well-lit path to the pool.</p><p>The slightest hint of wrong brushed against her senses. She slowed down, looking around at her surroundings. Nothing out of place, but her hand automatically rested on her lightsaber. She moved off the path to make herself less visible and crept silently to the pool.</p><p>Two security guards lay in a pile just as she reached the outer ring of chairs around the pool. She checked for pulses, but neither had one, most likely due their broken necks. Rey cursed herself for not bringing her comm unit along, but she'd never needed one on the grounds before. She unclipped her lightsaber and skirted around the front of the pool, trying to stay in the shadows</p><p>The pool lay empty, the water undisturbed. No Mirabella.</p><p>A faint scrapping noise followed by a tiny groan of effort caught her attention farther down the path toward the gardens.</p><p>She hurried in that direction, taking cover behind hedges and trees as she moved to block herself from sight. Then she spotted two figures rushing off away from her. One of them moved with the effort of carrying something heavy, and Rey's stomach dropped as she realized it was Mirabella. With no movement from the singer, Rey assumed she’d been knocked out.</p><p>From her right, she heard a quick cry that would barely be noticeable if she hadn't been so alert. A third figure then joined the first two. All of them wore black and blended into the dark well.</p><p>At the very back of the property hovered a sleek, black ship. The only reason Rey saw it in the darkness was because the ramp was lowered and the small amount of light spilling out from inside reflected off the hull. The three figures ran up the ramp. Rey saw Mirabella’s unconscious body carried in.</p><p>Rey sprinted for the ship as the ramp began to ascend and the thrusters warmed up. Damned if she was going to let these kidnappers get away with Mirabella! She managed to grab onto the very edge of the ramp with her fingers, slowing down its movement. With a grunt of effort, she lifted her body through the shrinking crack and rolled inside the ship. Mere seconds later, the ship rose away from the ground, probably virtually invisible at that point.</p><p>Rey crouched on the closed ramp with her lightsaber in her hands ready to be ignited. She glanced around the small hanger area at a few speeders but it was otherwise empty. They must have taken Mirabella further into the ship. She breathed a sigh of relief. Creeping down the closest hall, she froze when she heard voices.</p><p>"And nobody saw you, right?" a tough, feminine voice demanded.</p><p>"Nah. But we did have ta take out like six of them guards, and ya can see Bondy here didn't escape unscathed," slurred a male voice that sounded like his mouth had too many teeth in it.</p><p>"Kriff, Bondy! You better get up to the infirmary before you lose that arm!"</p><p>A third voice whimpered and stumbled away.</p><p>"This the girl?"</p><p>"Yep. She made it easy, swimming in the pool all by her lonesome. Grun got soaked gettin' the sleepy juice in her, but she didn't make a sound."</p><p>Rey heard a noise that sounded like a body hitting a soft surface.</p><p>The room went silent for a moment.</p><p>"What? Why you looked so shocked?" the male voice asked, obviously perplexed by his female companion's facial expression.</p><p>"THIS IS THE WRONG GIRL!" she roared. "You idiot! This is Mirabella Solo!"</p><p>"The singer?"</p><p>"Yes, the singer! Were you paying attention at the briefing meeting at all? I told you there was a possibility she'd be there!"</p><p>The male voiced huffed. "I ain't never seen Mirabella Solo. You said female human with white skin and brown hair. This is a female human with white skin and brown hair!"</p><p>A slapping sound echoed around the corner.</p><p>"You'll be lucky if Jay let's you live after this." The feminine voice had cooled quite significantly.</p><p>"Please, please! Turn this boat around! I'll get the right girl!" Now the male voice groveled.</p><p>"It's too late! By the time we got back and you got in there, security will have found their downed guards. We're finished with this job because of your incompetence! But..." Her voice turned thoughtful. "Mirabella Solo is famous and very beautiful. Surely someone on the black market will pay a hefty price for her. Or maybe a ransom. Her family is quite rich," she mused.</p><p>"Yeah! We should be able to get a whole buncha credits for her!"</p><p>"But not as much as that other girl!" The feminine voice turned sharp again. "How long will she sleep?"</p><p>"Hours."</p><p>"Leave her then. We've got to report to Jay."</p><p>Footsteps tramped out of the room in the other direction.</p><p>Rey inched into the room, her eyes darting around for any dangers. Empty. She ran over to Mirabella, who lay prone on a grimy sofa still wearing a wet bathing suit. "Mirabella!" Rey whispered harshly as she shook the young woman. Nothing. The sedative had completely knocked her out.</p><p>Slipping back around the corner to be out of sight, Rey put her back to the wall and concentrated hard on her bond with Ben.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Nineteen – Ben</p><p>"Ben."</p><p>Ben sat up in bed reflexively at Rey's voice. He blinked sleep away as he looked at Rey. She stood cloaked in moonlight at the foot of the bed.</p><p>"Rey?"</p><p>A tightness pulled at him through their bond. He sucked in a breath. "Rey, where are you?"</p><p>She glanced behind her at something he couldn't see then whispered to him. "They've kidnapped Mirabella, mistaking her for me. I managed to sneak on their ship, but I don't have a comm unit or tracker. I'll try to figure out where we're going."</p><p>Fear rose in him at the mere thought of what kind of danger they were in.</p><p>"Ben...find us."</p><p>Rey disappeared.</p><p>"Rey!" he screamed. Anger mixed with his fear. How dare they take her and his sister!</p><p>He leapt to his feet, haphazardly pulling clothes on. Grabbing at the comm on his nightstand, he almost crushed the thing turning it on. It connected him directly to the security headquarters of the lake house.</p><p>"High alert! We've been infiltrated. Rey and Mirabella have been kidnapped! Scan for any hyperdrive signatures out of the direct vicinity. Also, get the Jedi Temple on the comm. I'm coming there now!"</p><p>He pocketed the comm unit, hooked his lightsaber to his belt and took off running through the house.</p><p>The security guards he passed tried to wave him down. "Stay at your posts!" he yelled at them.</p><p>Ben sprinted down another hallway and threw open the double doors of the master bedroom. "Dad!"</p><p>Han startled awake. "No, I swear I didn't steal that case of Corellian spring wine!"</p><p>"Dad! Wake up!"</p><p>Han shook his head. "Ben? What time is it?"</p><p>Ben gripped his father by the shoulders. "Listen. We've been infiltrated. Mirabella's been taken and Rey went after her. We need to find them."</p><p>Han stilled, eyes wide. "Shit."</p><p>Once they got to security headquarters, Ben confronted Alkos on the screen. "Where's Master Skywalker? I need him now!"</p><p>"He's not here, Ben! He's hardly ever here."</p><p>"He's searching for the Emperor, isn't he? Rey and my sister have been taken! Help me!" Ben gritted his teeth at the desperate note in his voice, but he needed his friend.</p><p>Alkos closed his eyes, then blew out a breath. "I'm going to get in so much trouble."</p><p>"Please..." Ben begged.</p><p>"Fine. I put a secret tracker with comm on his ship. I'm sending you the frequency."</p><p>"Thank you, Alkos. I'll never forget this."</p><p>"Don't worry. I'll never let you forget it." Alkos winked at him.</p><p>Ben snorted, glad he could count on his friend's levity even in a time like this.</p><p>Alkos' tone turned serious. "If you need us, I'll send you every Jedi I have."</p><p>Ben nodded. "You are a true friend." Then he disconnected.</p><p>"Sir! We've found their hyperdrive signature!" The security chief attempted to hand him a pad with the info, but Han grabbed it away.</p><p>"Chewie's gearing up the Falcon. We can follow this as far as we can, and hopefully Rey will get back to us by then. We'll comm Luke and your mother from the air." Then he ran for the ship.</p><p>Ben rushed out behind his father. The tension coiled up inside him drove him to move, to find them. His stomach clenched at the thought of not getting to them in time. If anything happened to them, he didn't know if he'd survive it.</p><p>A/N: Wow, I didn't realize just how short this chapter was. So you get two chapters today! Thanks so much for reading and I adore all your lovely comments.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Twenty – Rey</p><p>Rey paused in the middle of rewiring the access screen in the living area where they'd dumped Mirabella. She figured if she could get it connected to the navigation computer, she could hack in to get their course. Then she'd tell Ben exactly where to find them.</p><p>She’d considered launching a full-scale assault against her captors. The idea of wielding Leia’s lightsaber to bring them all down then piloting the ship back to Naboo held much appeal to her. Yet, she didn’t exactly know how many of them were on the ship and where they all were located. There was nothing she could do to stop one of them from looping back here to threaten, even hurt, Mirabella. Her friend was so vulnerable right now and Rey would never risk her life on such a gamble.</p><p>Footsteps echoed down the stairs, causing Rey to quickly prop the screen back in place and hide around the corner. She spied on the room with one eye in shadow.</p><p>A Twi'lek male glided into the room, his movements almost like dancing. He smiled down at Mirabella as she slept, tentacles twitching. He knelt down next to her. "You're even prettier up close than when I saw you singing. Maybe you and I'll have some private time before I have to take you to lockup."</p><p>Rey's eyes widened as she watched him untie one side of Mirabella's bathing suit. Anger flooded through her as he moved to untie the other side. He meant to rape her!</p><p>Her arm wiped out towards him almost unconsciously. Blue lightning exploded out of her hand, shooting across the room. It stuck the Twi'lek in the back just as he tried pulling Mirabella's suit down. He convulsed as the electricity coursed through his body. Then he dropped to the ground.</p><p>Rey took a step back into the room when a device hissed loudly as it pressed into her neck. She gasped and spun around.</p><p>A human male with a scruffy red beard stood behind her, an airhypo in his hand. "Woah! Wasn't expecting that! You’re like a storm cloud, lovely girl." Then his expression of surprise changed to malice. "Did you think you could come on my ship without me seeing?"</p><p>Before she could do anything, darkness edged into her vision. The room spun and he caught her as she fell. Panic gripped her as she realized she'd fallen into a trap.</p><p>Before she completely passed out, she heard him say, "This is the human female we needed. And our payday just walked right onboard."</p><p>Everything went black after that.</p><p>"Rey? Rey!" Mirabella's frantic voice roused her after who knew how long.</p><p>Rey's head pounded. When she opened her eyes, even the meager light pierced them. She clamped her hand over her eyes and rolled over. "I'm alright. That stuff was powerful."</p><p>"Rey."</p><p>"Ben?" She blinked her eyes open and squinted up at him.</p><p>Dread</p><p>The color had drained out of his face and he swallowed.</p><p>"I'm okay," she assured him.</p><p>Relief</p><p>He gave her a tight-lipped smile.</p><p>"Ben's not here, Rey." Mirabella frowned in concern. Of course, she couldn't see Ben and she probably thought Rey was hallucinating.</p><p>"He is, Mirie. We can communicate directly through our bond. But he can't see you and you can't see him."</p><p>"Force, Rey! I almost had a heart attack when I couldn't feel you!" Ben sounded exasperated.</p><p>Rey's heart went out to him, knowing how scary that must have been for him. "I'm sorry. They set a trap for me. I couldn't get our destination out of the nav computer fast enough."</p><p>"Just stay safe and take care of Mirie. We're meeting up with Luke, and I think he's finally going to tell me what he's been doing. We'll find you."</p><p>Rey nodded, which made her dizzy again.</p><p>"I love you, Rey." Then Ben was gone.</p><p>"I love you, too," Rey whispered into the air, hoping he’d hear her.</p><p>She glanced around, seeing they'd been imprisoned in a dark and dank dungeon while she’d been unconscious. The roughly cut stone walls and floor sported sharp points, and some of them dug into her back as she lay on the ground. Thick metal bars on two sides hemmed them in. It surprised her that they didn’t use force fields, something she might have been able to hack into. Her lightsaber was gone, as expected, so there was no way to hack through metal bars.</p><p>Then she turned to Mirabella. The poor woman looked so frightened, tears staining her face and her eyes red-rimmed. She still wore her bathing suit, which fortunately dried off, but she shivered a little with being so exposed.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Rey asked. She shrugged out of the Jedi robe she wore and threw it around Mirabella's shoulders.</p><p>"I don’t know. Thanks." She pulled the robe tight around her, still shivering.</p><p>"How long was I out?"</p><p>"Hours. I woke up as they were moving us off their ship and into here, but I pretended to still be unconscious."</p><p>"Did you see anything that could give us a clue where we are as they brought you in here?"</p><p>Mirabella pressed her lips together. "I kept my eyes closed, but there were flashes of light so bright I could see them through my eyelids."</p><p>Rey sighed. Exegol. The thought of being back on the dead Sith world made her shudder. She had to tell Ben, but first, "Mirie, I need you to use your singing to put the guards to <br/>sleep."</p><p>A panicked look crossed her face. "I don't know how to do that."</p><p>"You do. When you sing, you use the Force to influence feelings in your audience, mostly happiness and calm."</p><p>"Ben once tried to tell me something like that, but I didn't understand what he was saying."</p><p>"He was right. When you sing, concentrate on making them sleep. It's a suggestion. It won't work on stronger, trained minds, but it will on weaker, undisciplined ones."</p><p>"What do I sing?"</p><p>"Maybe just a melody? Or a lullaby"</p><p>Mirabella nodded. "I'll try." She sounded skeptical in her abilities. Then she swallowed. "Rey, can I ask you something?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>"Did I..." Mirabella paused, biting her lip and looking away. "Did I exist in that other world? The world you came from."</p><p>Tears welled up in Rey's eyes. She'd promised herself she wouldn't lie. "No," she whispered.</p><p>Mirabella hung her head, tears falling on the dirty floor. "I wasn't meant to exist."</p><p>Rey leaned over and covered her friend's hand. "That's not true, Mirie. You needed to exist.  The Ben of that world had been lost to the dark side for so long. It was because he had <br/>no one! But see what he has become here because of you. Because of the family he didn't have there."</p><p>"And because of you. I don't think he consciously realized it, but Ben's been waiting for you."</p><p>Despite the dire situation, Rey smiled. She warmed thinking of him. Then the thought of him reminded her she really needed to contact him with their location.</p><p>Before she could even attempt connecting with him through their bond, the dungeon door flew open. Three Sith knights strode inside.</p><p>Rey leapt to her feet. "Mirie, sing now!" Then she slammed one of them into the stone wall with the Force.</p><p>Mirie opened her mouth and the start of a beautiful melody flowed out.</p><p>The Sith closest to Mirabella lashed out at her. He backhanded her across the face. She spun around from the force behind it and fell to the ground. She didn't move after that.</p><p>"Mirie!" Rey screamed.</p><p>The other Sith tried to grab her arm, but she smashed her knee into his midsection. He doubled over.</p><p>Something smashed into the back of her head, stunning her. She dropped to her knees as sparkles danced in front of her eyes.</p><p>The Sith managed to get restraints on her wrists and hauled her back to her feet. Then they dragged her out of the cell and through the complex hallways. Rey tried to remember the different turns.</p><p>It was like déjà vu as she entered the throne room. She glanced up through the splintered ceiling but no ships battled there now. Memories tried to overwhelm her, but she shoved <br/>them away. He was waiting for her. Palpatine, the Emperor, her grandfather, her enemy.</p><p>The Sith knights hauled her in front of him. The wraith floated down to her, still attached to the mechanism keeping him alive. If you could call it living.</p><p>"Finally, I meet the mysterious woman who stole away my prey all those years ago." His voice rasped.</p><p>Mysterious woman? Rey couldn't believe it. He had no idea who she was! She bit her tongue and remained silent to let him continue.</p><p>"At first, when I watched Snoke torturing young Solo's mind, I thought you were a figment of his imagination. He was desperately clinging to the light and you seemed more like a manifestation of that light. Yet, there you appeared again in Skywalker's mind! As Snoke ripped out his eye, his defenses dropped and I got a brief look inside. And there you were! You were somewhat less... sensationalized than in Solo's mind, meaning you weren't just a manifestation. It had been you who'd corrupted his mind against us!</p><p>"But then you vanished. My curiosity for your identity only grew. I put eyes on Solo for years waiting for you to return, although not really expecting anything to come of it. Then you surprise me again, and show up completely unchanged! Just how did you accomplish such a feat?"</p><p>Rey said nothing.</p><p>"Closer, my dear."</p><p>The Sith forced her closer to the wraith. Rey cringed as his fetid breath assaulted her nose. They held her still as Palpatine's hand hovered over her head.</p><p>Rey threw up her shields, gritting her teeth as he tried to break through them. He hammered at her defenses, but she held firm against him.</p><p>Finally, he broke off with a growl of frustration. "How are you so strong with the Force?"</p><p>Awareness</p><p>Ben blinked into existence beside her. His mouth pursed and his eyes narrowed as he took in the restraints on her wrists.</p><p>"Exegol!" she shouted to him.</p><p>Palpatine's mouth closed and his head tilted slightly to the side as he presumably pondered why she would randomly shout that out. “So you know of this place? Interesting.”</p><p>"We're coming," Ben answered, then wrapped his hand around her arm protectively.</p><p>"Interloper!" screeched Palpatine. "Get him!"</p><p>Rey's eyes widened as she realized Palpatine could see Ben when he touched her.</p><p>The Sith knights looked around with confusion. Perhaps they were not as strong with the Force.</p><p>"You can't see him, you idiots? It's Solo! He's holding her arm and she just gave him our location!"</p><p>Ben glared at Palpatine. "I'm going to kill you," he spat out. Obviously, Ben could see him as well.</p><p>Rey remembered that moment on Ahch-To, when she reached her hand out to Ben and they touched fingertips through the bond for the first time. Luke had caught them, had definitely seen Ben there with her. It's why he went into such a rage, ripping the little stone hut apart. Perhaps only the strongest of the Force could perceive what others around them failed to see.</p><p>One of the knights grasped Rey's arm in the same place Ben’s hand held her. His hand moved right through Ben.</p><p>Palpatine frowned. "What is this?"</p><p>Rey almost giggled at seeing the wraith confused and disarmed, but it didn't last long.</p><p>Palpatine's eyes widened and his mouth twisted with anger. "The prophesied Force Dyad! You bitch, you've stolen it from me!" His beady eyes shifted to Ben. "I'm going to rip your little whore apart, give your sister to my knights to have their way with, and find you even if I have to destroy half the galaxy to do it. You’re mine."</p><p>Rage welled up in Rey at his words. She hadn't gone through so much pain and effort over the past two years to lose it all to him again. Palpatine had taken Ben away from her before. Not again!</p><p>"Rey, no!" Ben screamed.</p><p>All of her rage poured out of her in charged blue lightning. It struck Palpatine in the chest and radiated out over his entire body. He writhed in pain, his jaw locked and foam dripping from his mouth.</p><p>Again, something hard hit Rey in the head. This time the blow knocked her to the floor and her body refused to get up.</p><p>Palpatine groaned in anguish as the lightning released him. Then a strange breathy sound replaced the groaning. It irked Rey when she realized he was laughing at her.</p><p>"How marvelous to learn that the mysterious woman who disappeared into thin air was in actuality my long lost grandchild! Of course, one of my kin would be clever enough to orchestrate such a feat!” He laughed louder until his malformed lungs rebelled and only wheezing emerged. He turned to his Knights. “I don't need Solo now. My own descendant is so much better. Prepare for the ritual!" Palpatine yelled.</p><p>Rey laid her aching head on the stone floor and closed her eyes. Exhaustion and despair overwhelmed her. She'd lost and now he would get what he'd wanted all along. Her.</p><p>"Rey, hold on. We're coming for you," Ben whispered in her ear.</p><p>A/N: We getting into the home stretch for this story, not too many chapters left. I do have a request. Now that I am not writing at the moment, I'm looking for some good Reylo fanfic to read. I'm find a lot of not-so-good fanfic out there. I know that my story is your favorite (*wink*), but what are your other favorites? If you haven't read "Guide You Home" by LyricalRiot, it is an amazing modern AU.</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Twenty-One – Ben</p><p>Ben smashed his fist into the wall, denting the panel in front of him in the Millennium Falcon living area. His inability to protect Rey infuriated him. The pain radiating up his hand did nothing to distract him from the horrible agony in his heart.</p><p>"Hey!" Han yelled indignantly. "I know you're frustrated, but leave the Falcon alone!"</p><p>Ben looked up at the ceiling and huffed. He felt trapped on this ship.</p><p>Leia, who'd caught up to them along with Poe, crossed the room and put her hand on Ben's arm. "What happened?"</p><p>"I could see Palpatine and he could see me. He still wanted me under his thumb and I was hoping I could lure him away from Rey and Mirabella. But he didn't know who she was! He didn’t realize she was his granddaughter. He’d been searching for her because he blamed her for stealing me out of his clutches!" Ben shook his head, wishing he could have said something different to alter what had just played out. "Then Rey lost her temper and gave herself away. Now he only wants her."</p><p>Leia gave him a sympathetic smile. "Of course, your girl would have as much spitfire as you."</p><p>Ben couldn't help but snort at that. They both had tempers.</p><p>“Did you find out where they were at least during your mind trip?” Han asked.</p><p>Ben nodded. "Exegol. Rey always suspected that’s where he’d be, even if Uncle Luke had already gone looking there. But we can't wait for him any longer. The longer we delay, the more likely we’ll lose them both. Uncle Luke will just have to meet us there.” Ben stuck his head around the corner of the cockpit. "Punch it, Chewie!"</p><p>"Hey, that's my line, kid!" Han shouted.</p><p>Chewie howled in response.</p><p>Ben shrugged. "Whatever you say, Dad. I've got to use the comm."</p><p>When he got back to the living area, he paced back and forth along the length of the room. He itched to train, to throw all his pent-up frustration into working his body. Unfortunately, no space on the Falcon was large enough to allow him to unleash with his lightsaber. He should meditate to re-center himself, but thoughts of Rey laying on the ground in despair tortured his mind. He just needed to get to her.</p><p>"Hey, man, you're making me nervous with all that pacing," Poe spoke up. </p><p>Ben startled slightly at Poe’s admonishment. So absorbed in his own head, he forgot Poe sat in the same room with them. They’d filled him in on most of the details when he’d arrived with Leia. Ben had been somewhat surprised at just how angry Poe had gotten when he heard of Mirabella’s kidnapping. "Sorry," he muttered and dropped onto one of the chairs.</p><p>"Do we have any kind of plan? Any idea of what we're walking into?" Poe asked.</p><p>Ben wracked his brain, trying to dredge up every detail of Exegol from Rey's memories. "Rey will be in the throne room for the ritual and most of the Sith will be there."</p><p>"What kind of ritual is this anyway?" Han asked.</p><p>"Rey strikes the Emperor down and all the past Sith lords leave his dead body and possess hers. She'll be crowned Empress," Ben explained.</p><p>Han winced. "Whether she wants it or not, I bet."</p><p>"Exactly. It won't be Rey's choice, and afterwards, it won’t really be Rey anymore. She’ll be as powerful as the Emperor and possibly just as ruthless. She’ll need to be stopped, in any way necessary. You know what that means." Ben wiped a hand across his eyes, emotion threatening to overwhelm him at the thought of ending the woman he loved. “I can’t lose her, not like that."</p><p>Leia’s hand touched his knee. “We’ll find her. It’s not going to end like that.”</p><p>Taking a deep breath, Ben pushed those fears down. “Mirabella's probably in one of the dungeons, although I don't know where those are. Despite the ritual, I'm sure they'll be guarded."</p><p>"We've got a lot of firepower," Poe remarked.</p><p>"Those Sith bastards have my little princess. I'll shoot every last one of them to hell." Han pulled out two blasters, a look of determination on his face.</p><p>Ben nodded. "Dad, Poe and Chewie should go after Mirabella. I'll find Rey. Meet back at the ship."</p><p>Han and Poe nodded. Chewie stuck his head around the corner and bellowed in agreement.</p><p>"Wait!" Leia stood up. "Ben, you make it sound like you can just walk in there and take Rey away. It won't be that easy. I'll go with you."</p><p>All the feelings of guilt during his mother's long recovery after facing Snoke rushed back at him. He wanted to tie her up and hide her in the cargo hold to keep her safe, but he knew when it came to Leia Organa, she'd knock him out for even suggesting it. Yet, the thought of her walking into this kind of danger again sickened him.</p><p>Instead, he said, "Mom, I need you protecting the Falcon. This is our only ride off that hellhole and if the Sith get it, we're all goners. I'd like you in the gun well so you'll be ready to blast away anyone who even comes close."</p><p>Her shoulders slumped, a sure sign she'd relent. Ben remembered it well from childhood. "But you surely can't go alone," she pressed.</p><p>"I won't be alone. Trust me."</p><p>She shook her head, but said nothing more.</p><p>Chewie let out a series of growls. They were nearing Exegol.</p><p>Before they landed, Leia pulled both Ben and Han into a tight hug. "You both better come back to me." Steel laced her words. Then she kissed Han on the lips. "Bring back our daughter."</p><p>He nodded, his eyes shining a little brighter than normal.</p><p>Leia pulled Ben down to her level and kissed him the forehead. "I know how much you love her. Save her."</p><p>Ben's heart clenched. He didn't know how, but he knew he must. He couldn't live without her.</p><p>They lowered the ramp and then all took off in their respective directions.</p><p>Pain</p><p>The feel of her anguish washed over him, almost crippling him. The idea that he might be too late plagued him. In response, he tapped into emotions he long ago he restrained deep inside him. He unleashed his full rage and let it consume him. With a roar, he swore to terminate any being that dare harm his love.</p><p>Ben sprinted through the passages, trying to navigate to the throne room by way of Rey's memories in his head. He figured he made it about halfway when he heard fast-paced footsteps echoing down the corridor towards him. He pressed his back against the wall and pulled his lightsaber free in anticipation of a fight.</p><p>Rey appeared out of the gloom, glancing backwards as she ran at full speed. She looked like she'd already been through hell. Blood seeped out from a wound on her forehead and a split lip. Her left upper arm had been burned, the flesh there an angry red surrounded by black. Her mussed hair stuck out in all directions and she was completely covered in grey dirt. Yet, her being alive made her the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.</p><p>"Rey!" he called out.</p><p>Terror</p><p>She stumbled backwards, almost falling. He could see the panic in her eyes for a moment, thinking she'd been caught. Then her eyes truly saw him. With a sob, she leapt up and enveloped him. Her arms encircled his torso and she clung to him. He could feel her trembling.</p><p>"They're right behind me!" she cried in a broken voice.</p><p>"I'll get you back to the ship." He tried to pull her along with him.</p><p>She stood her ground, straightening up. Her voice lost the frightened quality, becoming hard. "No! We have to finish this. We must destroy him, once and for all. I don't know if the past Jedi are still with me, but you'll stand with me. Right?"</p><p>He paused for just a beat, noticing her choice of words. Then he nodded. "Yes."</p><p>She gave him a tight-lipped smile, making him want to kiss her.</p><p>More footsteps echoed down the corridor, many of them.</p><p>Ben pulled a blaster out of his waistband and handed it to Rey. "I don't have another lightsaber, but this should help." He ignited his lightsaber, the purple light filling the darkness.</p><p>The Sith Knights came at them hard. Rey took out four of them with the blaster before they overtook them, but then they were in too close quarters for shooting.</p><p>Ben wished he could stand back and just watch as Rey's lithe body gracefully moved around her foes. Using a combination of fighting techniques and her power of the Force, she brought down several of them. He recognized a few of the moves he’d taught her during their two months of sparring.</p><p>Unfortunately, Ben didn't have the luxury to continue watching her fight. He had his own enemies to deal with. Two knights came at him together. He pivoted and ducked away from the arch of the left one's weapon. Ben rammed his lightsaber through his middle then shoved the body at the other one, who crashed to the floor under its weight. Then he twirled the lightsaber and thrust it backwards, hitting the one running up behind him.</p><p>After dispatching three more, the last one managed to strategically kick him right in the groin as they grappled. Pain exploded through his body, he dropped to one knee and his vision doubled. Despite this, he got his lightsaber up in time to deflect his attacker’s next blow. He slashed at the Sith, who leapt back in time to miss being hit.</p><p>The Sith Knight rose his weapon up to strike down at Ben once again.</p><p>"Enough!" Rey shouted and shot him with the blaster in the head.</p><p>He crashed dead to the floor.</p><p>Rey rushed over to Ben. "Are you alright?'</p><p>"Should have blocked him with my leg," he grumbled. "I'm alright." His pride hurt more than anything else, although he probably would be sore for a day or two. “Nice shot. My dad would be proud.”</p><p>Rey leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Her lips seared his skin in a way that made his blood race. Then she gripped his elbow and helped haul him to his feet.</p><p>Before she could turn away to continue back down the corridor, Ben couldn't resist cradling her face in his hands and kissing her. He poured all his love for her into the kiss.</p><p>Rey responded in kind. Her kiss had an almost desperate quality as she wound her arms around his neck and clung to him.</p><p>Finally, he had to pull away. "Rey, if we don't make it out of there..."</p><p>She shook her head. "Don't."</p><p>He nodded. What he didn't say was that if it came down to him or her, he would protect her with his life. If the ghosts of the Sith tried to possess him, he'd kill himself. He doubted she'd ever forgive him for leaving her again, but it would be worth it for her to live.</p><p>She started to move forward, but he held her back. He pulled his comm unit out of his pocket. "Now."</p><p>Rey tilted her head in question.</p><p>"I promised my mom I'd have back up."</p><p>He took her hand and together they walked to their fate.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: Here it is, the grand finale! </p><p>Chapter 22 – Rey</p><p>As soon as they entered the throne room, Rey took off running towards the Emperor. Ben called out to her, but she ignored him. She dodged past the Sith Knights advancing on them, leaving them to Ben to contend with. Being such an accomplished fighter, she knew he could handle them. Plus, she wanted to put some distance between them so Palpatine would be less able to suck the life out of them together.</p><p>Her sight zeroed in on Palpatine, who smiled maliciously as she neared him. She completely ignored the crowd of Sith covered in black robes gathered on the other side of the cavernous room, even though they stirred into activity with this new development. She hadn't been prepared for the amount of power he’d wielded last time, but this time she was ready. She fired the blaster at him repeated until it ran out.</p><p>He deflected every shot, as she expected. Then he raised his hands up and her feet left the ground. She squirmed a bit for effect.</p><p>"You think a blaster could hurt me, you foolish child?" He laughed at her.</p><p>Gritting her teeth, she dropped the act and unleashed her blue lightning on him. Before, it had only come to her reflexively when her anger overwhelmed her control. Now she’d figured out how to use it as a weapon. She growled as she put all her energy into the attack.</p><p>He convulsed as it hit him. His fingers curled into claws and his head thrown back. Foam formed around his mouth. Rey delighted in his helpless state of electrocution.</p><p>His hold on her fell away and she landed on the ground in a crouch. Without stopping her assault, she glanced around to make sure nothing heavy landed on her head again. She saw Ben still fighting several Sith Knights. He'd somehow positioned between them and her to give her the freedom to do what she wanted with Palpatine. She silently thanked him for it.</p><p>He fought them with the expertise that came from years of Jedi training. As she watched him slash and thrust his purple lightsaber at them, her love for him engulfed her entire being. Everything that changed had been because of because of the love and trust he’d put in her since he was nine years old. They were meant to be together, not on opposite sides of the Force, but with those two sides mixed and balanced within both of them.</p><p>Then he stumbled. The Knights pounced on top of him.</p><p>Panic</p><p>Rey's gasped, her heart practically stopping. She ceased her attack on Palpatine, pleased to see him slump into unconsciousness. Smoke curled up from his singed robe. She ran several steps toward Ben.</p><p>Several Knights at the back of the crowd on top of him turned at her approach. It seemed like they just noticed her for the first time. They swung their weapons menacingly.</p><p>Using the Force, she yanked the closest one off his feet. She managed to hold the next two back, but two more crept towards her. She huffed in frustration at not having any other kind of weapon.</p><p>Rage</p><p>Ben burst out of those piled on top of him, throwing Sith bodies across the room.</p><p>Rey dismayed at seeing him bruised and bloodied, holding his left arm tight against his body. How dare they hurt him! He swung the lightsaber, hitting one, but Rey could tell he was tiring.</p><p>Suddenly, out of the doorway behind Ben, Alkos and thirty other Jedi from the Temple rushed into the room. They had their lightsabers ignited and engaged the enemy without reservation. The cavalry had arrived just in time! Of course this was the back-up Ben had promised his mother. </p><p>"Took you long enough!" Ben shouted at Alkos.</p><p>"You know I like to make an entrance!" Their blue-haired friend smiled back at Ben. Then he unhooked an extra lightsaber from his belt and lobed it at Rey.</p><p>Relief at having a weapon washed over her as she caught it in the air. She gave Alkos a nod of thanks. Two other Jedi brought the fight to the Knights that had been advancing on her so she turned back to Palapatine.</p><p>He seemed to be just waking up from her previous assault. His breathing rasped horribly from his heaving chest. He coughed several times and black, tarry liquid sprayed from his mouth to coat his lips.</p><p>Rey ignited her lightsaber as she stalked towards him.</p><p>"Yes, granddaughter," he wheezed out. "Strike me down. Accept your birthright as the next Emperor."</p><p>Rey stood beside him, her saber's blue light reflecting off his pale, sickly skin.</p><p>"Never," Rey whispered. Then she raised the lightsaber and struck the machinery attached to his back instead. The blade cut through cleanly, severing his support.</p><p>He cried out as his worthless body crashed to the floor.  His breathing grew harsher.<br/>Rey hoped destroying his life support system would be enough.</p><p>A great roar echoed through the space. The black-cloaked Sith in the stands had previously seemed content to watch the fighting from afar, but the fall of their great Emperor spurred them into action. Hundreds of them poured out into the fray and engaged with the Jedi. Their sheer numbers overwhelmed them despite the fact they carried no weapons.</p><p>Slashing as fast as she could with the lightsaber, Rey fought all the Sith around her. She watched in horror as two of the Jedi near her collapsed under the onslaught.</p><p>Alkos leapt up on a piece of suspended equipment. He pulled up another Jedi and together they used the Force to knock back a significant portion of the Sith.</p><p>Exhaustion</p><p>Ben's fatigue was palpable. He'd been fighting all the Sith Knights while injured. Now the huge numbers of Sith attacking drained him further.</p><p>Rey drove through the Sith in a desperate attempt to reach him. A sea of black seemed to separate them.</p><p>A Force push from behind knocked her to the ground. Her shoulder hit hard, momentarily shocking her. Feet stepped all over her like she lay under a stampede. She curled her body up to protect herself. A sense of hopelessness descended over her as her arms tried to protect her head, but the crush of the feet continued.</p><p>"Rey! Keep fighting. I’m with you!" Ben screamed through the crowd. No doubt he sensed her distress.</p><p>Then, in the midst of so much chaos, the sweetest melody drifted through the air. The wordless tune blocked out all other noise. Everything seemed to slow down and no more feet walked over her. A sense of calm enveloped her and she took a deep, cleansing breath. Her tense muscles relaxed almost involuntarily. The song suggested sleep, that rejuvenating rest would fix all the turmoil around her. Yet, she knew she couldn’t slumber now. She fought against sleep, and found it wasn't too difficult to overcome it. Looking up, she saw the most glorious sight.</p><p>Mirabella Solo stood at the very top of the now-vacant Sith gathering stands. She sang so incredibly that her voice projected through the vast throne room. She still wore her bathing suit covered by Rey's robe. Han, Poe and Chewie stood behind her, their fingers jammed in their ears.</p><p>Both Sith and Jedi collapsed to the floor in sleep around. They all breathed in the same slow rhythm of peacefulness. Alkos and a few of the other Jedi, probably the stonger ones, remained awake but smiling. A few Sith and Sith Knights also remained standing, but they seemed more confused than euphoric.</p><p>Suddenly, Ben was there, pulling Rey out of the sleeping bodies surrounding her. He clutched her to him protectively. She put her arms around him, never wanting to let go.</p><p>"Make that horrible racket stop!" screeched Palpatine. He hovered a few inches off the ground with his deformed hands clamped over his ears. Then he lashed out at Mirabella.</p><p>She toppled backwards, her song abruptly cut off. However, her suggestion of sleep appeared to have been very powerful as almost none of the fallen figured regained consciousness.</p><p>Poe caught Mirabella before she fell. He glared at Palpatine.</p><p>The wraith growled and pointed a clawed finger at Rey and Ben. "You two may survive this time, but I will never stop haunting you!” A coughing fit exploded out of him. More black liquid spewed from his mouth and dripped down his chin. But he still spoke again. “One day, you will have a child. A. immensely powerful child with all the gifts of both the Palpatine and Skywalker lines. More powerful than any being that has ever existed!” He bared his teeth at them, coated in black. “I will steal your child and turn it to the dark side! It will take the Sith legacy and become the greatest ruler the galaxy has ever seen! Then I'll-"</p><p>His words ceased as the glow of a green lightsaber emerged from his chest. Palpatine looked down at it in shocked surprise.</p><p>The lightsaber pulled back out of him in one swift move. Before the Emperor could even turn, the lightsaber swung and chopped off his head. The grotesque head bounced away as the body crumbled to the ground.</p><p>"No, you won't."  Luke Skywalker stood tall behind where Palpatine had hovered. He extinguished his lightsaber.</p><p>All the Sith and Sith Knights still awake fled out the doorways.</p><p>"Master Skywalker?" Rey's eyes widened.</p><p>"Just finishing something I thought had been done with years ago." He retrieved the severed head and tossed it unceremoniously onto the prone body. "Sorry it took me so long. Got stuck fighting a rancor." He snorted, “Again.” He extended his palm out towards the remains of Palpatine. It all burst into bright, green flames.</p><p>Rey swore she heard distant screams coming out of the fire. "What about the ghosts of past Sith masters possessing whomever struck him down?"</p><p>Luke shook his head. "It was never a risk for me." He walked over and embraced both Rey and Ben. "You are safe from him. Any children you have will be safe from him. There will always be evil in the galaxy, but this is gone." He went back to check the body.</p><p>Joy</p><p>Ben's happiness mingled with her own. Rey laughed as the shadow of Palpatine's power over her faded. A cheer of elation erupted around them from all those still remaining awake.</p><p>Ben laughed too. Then they were kissing, enraptured with each other.</p><p>"Get a room!" Rey heard Alkos yell in the background. They ignored him.</p><p>The enormity of their success filled her. Everything she’d done in the past two years had come down to this moment. A moment of absolute freedom. No more threats from a time long past stood in the way of their happiness. With Palpatine gone, the endless possibilities for the future blazed in front of them.</p><p>Rey couldn't wait to explore them with Ben at her side.</p><p>A/N: Don't worry, I've still got a little epilogue coming tomorrow :)</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
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    <p>Epilogue – Ben</p><p>Four Years Later</p><p>Ben looked out the front windshield of the Millennium Falcon as it descended onto the lawn in front of the lake house. He smiled at what awaited him.</p><p>"He's actually jumping up and down in excitement," Han laughed. "I remember when you used to greet me like that after a job."</p><p>Ben chuckled, then took off for the ramp the moment the ship touched the ground.</p><p>A little blond-haired boy with rosy cheeks ran towards the ship with arms raised. "Daddy!"</p><p>"Finn!" Ben scooped his son up into the air and spun him around.</p><p>The boy giggled with abandon.</p><p>When Rey had gently asked him about naming their son after her lost friend, Ben couldn't think of any reason why not to. He had seen the black man in Rey's memories, knew he'd been the one to get her off Jakku originally, even if it had been inadvertently. For that, Ben owed Finn a great debt. His other self hadn't liked Finn, called him a traitor, but Ben Solo was not Kylo Ren. And he'd seen how sad Rey had been when she realized she'd never find him here. Ben hoped wherever the man was in this universe, he was happy, like Ben.</p><p>Ben put Finn down, who immediately ran into Han's arms as he walked down the ramp. "Grampy!"</p><p>Han hugged his grandson, a huge smile on his face. "Hey there, kiddo!" Then he looked at Ben and said with pride. "You know, he's got the same color hair I had as a youngling."</p><p>Ben rolled his eyes. "Yes, Dad. You've only mentioned that like nine hundred times." He took Finn's hand and started across the lawn. "Where's Mommy?"</p><p>"Right there," Finn pointed at the front door.</p><p>As if on queue, the front door opened. Rey stepped out, her belly huge with their second child. She padded slowly towards them, a small smile on her face.</p><p>Ben closed the distance between them and kissed her sweetly on the mouth.</p><p>"I missed you," she told him as they broke apart.</p><p>"I missed you more. The plague on Sorgan has been really rough. I'm glad Master Skywalker let me take a break to come home for a bit. How's our girl?"</p><p>Rey rubbed a hand over her stomach. "Kicking me a lot. I thought she broke one of my ribs the other day, but it was just bruised. And she gives me heartburn whenever I eat anything that tastes good."</p><p>"I think our little Padme is going to be a handful."</p><p>"If she's anything like her mother and grandmother, she sure will be!" Han commented as he joined them.</p><p>They all laughed, even Finn, who didn't really understand why. Then they went back into the house.</p><p>Ben left them to go shower and change clothes after the trip. Even though the plague didn't affect humans, he felt the need to wash off any remnants of sickness. As he put on his shoes, Rey's emotion hit him.</p><p>Astonishment</p><p>He bound down the stairs looking for her. "Rey?" He found them in the playroom. The sight before him made him stop dead in his tracks.</p><p>About twenty miniature x-wings flew threw the air. They battled an equal number of miniature tie fighters. Tiny little lights mimicked lasers as the tiny spacecraft soared around each other. Some of the ships broke off in separate fights and some crashed to the carpeted floor as they got hit, bouncing off the carpet unharmed. The elaborate scene would have astonished anyone.</p><p>In the middle of it, three-and-a-half-year-old Finn laughed as we waved his hands around controlling the toys.</p><p>The level of power displayed by his son dumbfounded Ben. At that age, Ben had been able to float his little x-wing toy through the air. But just one. Even that display of power had worried some people, and it was nothing compared to this ability.</p><p>An immensely powerful child with all the gifts of both the Palpatine and Skywalker lines.</p><p>The Emperor's words floated through Ben's mind, but he pushed them away. It nagged at him that this was around the age the voices began speaking in his head. All of them the Emperor's voice. Ben reached out with the Force and touched his son's mind. It was something his parents wouldn't have had the capability to do for him. He found no darkness there, no malice, only happiness.</p><p>Rey gripped his arm.</p><p>"It's okay," he reassured her, covering her hand with his.</p><p>"I know. It's just…he's only three."</p><p>"Do you like it, Mommy? Daddy?" Finn looked over at them, his face suddenly unsure. The ships never stopped their battle.</p><p>"Finn, you are absolutely amazing," Ben told his son.</p><p>A wide smile spread across the boy's face. All the toys fell to the carpeted floor. Then Finn launched himself into his parent's arms.</p><p>The End</p><p>A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who read this story! I really hope you enjoyed it. I especially want to thank those people who commented. It means so much to an author to hear feedback. So thank you to darlingreadsalot, AmeSkywalker77, iluvaqt, GipsNadel, Winky_xx, nikkimp93, DarkMage13, MFA101, AlwaysEverlark, Colerr1, dandelionsandroses, Sheloopy, Rj, San and Bob.</p><p>It took three months all devoting all of my very limited free time to writing this story. So I was happy to take a writing break and dive into some lovely fanfiction. But my brain is now playing with an idea for another story, a completely different type of time travel Reylo fix-it. The summary would go something like this:</p><p>What if just as Ben dies but before he disappears, he and Rey get transported to Naboo 54 years earlier? Rey runs to get help and finds a pregnant Padme to assist her, even though she has no idea who Padme is.</p><p>What do you think? Sound like it could be good or should I just let this idea fade away (although this idea for "Rewriting History" refused to fade away and just tortured me until I wrote it)? Anyway, I would write the entire thing before posting so it could be a few months.</p>
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